


Fen'Harel Enansal

by jlhallares



Series: Fen'Harel Enansal [1]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Grief/Mourning, Modern Character in Thedas, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-18
Updated: 2017-09-01
Packaged: 2018-11-02 08:37:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 49,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10940868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jlhallares/pseuds/jlhallares
Summary: Skyhold behind him and his plans to bring the veil down gently with the help of the Inquisitor close at hand, Solas planned troop movements to release slaves in Tevinter. Everything is going as planned when his personal eluvian activates pulling him from 9:47 Dragon to 2017 Ireland dumping him unceremoniously on the floor of Caille McClellan's floor unsure of how he will get back to Thedas.





	1. Finding Home Again

**Author's Note:**

> For all translations of any elven I utilized Elven DAI Translator at https://lingojam.com/ElvenDAI.  
> For my Gaelic translations I utilized Google Translate. 
> 
> I will update tags as I go and if anyone see's something that I have missed please feel free to let me know.

Standing on the edge of a large hill overlooking the valley, dark green eyes gazed knowingly into dark, pregnant skies promising heavy rain. She turned her face into the oncoming gust of wind blowing her dark fire red hair around her. Lifting her arms out from her body, she welcomed the inbound storm that reflected her own inner chaos. Finally wrapping her arms around herself, she turned from the view of the valley and walked slowly from the fairy mound where her nanna had planted lavender and heather around it in tribute to the Fae. Her lips lifted slightly at the corner at the sight of a few oats sitting in a fluorite bowl on a flat rock bench, covered by a large slate mushroom off to the side of the mound. Walking away slowly, Caille swiped at another escaping tear.

Walking the grounds of her newly inherited home in Castlecaulfield, Ireland, she stared at the small white cobblestone cottage with its bright green door and high thatched roof. The windows included shutters that could be closed from the inside on cold nights in the same bright green color as the door. The entire yard was encased in a stone-made fence that included a matching bright green gate. Caille stopped next to the large flowerbed next to the front door that held a riotous blend of Heather, roses, lilies, daisies, gerberas, and daffodils with different garden steps and multi-colored gazing balls.

Brushing her hands over the tops of the heather she kept walking around the side of the house. Off to the left was the garage that now housed her jeep, leaving the old SUV that belonged to her nanna off to the side of the outer building. She let her eyes slide to the left of the garage to look at the barn. Her nanna had taken great care to maintain that building since she had a painting studio out there. She knew that there were lights, and it was the only building that had gas heat, unlike the house that still had a peat moss fireplace in the living room and the two upstairs bedrooms.

From this distance gazing at what was once her Grandparents home, she closed her eyes tightly wishing they were still here. In her mind’s eye, she could still see her nanna outside with her New York Mets baseball cap, covering curly silver hair that she would pull through the back. Baggy patched up jeans, one of grandfather’s old flannels over a tee shirt, and zebra-striped Wellies on her feet as she puttered in her garden.

Taking a deep breath, she shoved her hands into her pockets and slowly walked towards the back door, off the kitchen and opened it. Standing in the open doorway she could still smell her nanna’s chamomile and orange blossom tea in the air. Slowly closing the door behind her and hearing a soft click brought the room into a sharper focus. She could see the paperwork on the counter that held the Will, the Deed to the property and a letter with complete instructions of where everything was and how she could access it all.

Rubbing a shaking hand over her face, her mind screamed _I don’t want any of this_ while she grabbed the papers from the counter and walked to the sitting room to flop down in her favorite overstuffed chair. For all her years in the Military, all the medals, all the awful missions, her transition to government work, nothing could have prepared her for losing her nanna the way she had.  Pinching the bridge of her nose, clenching her eyes tightly she took a deep breath and finally opened the letter her nanna had left her.

_Mo chailín leanbh,_

_If you are reading this then get up and pour yourself some of my good Scotch and then continue reading, I have some things I need to say._

Caille laid the letter down with shaky fingers and a soggy hiccup. Standing, she walked to the sidebar pulling out the unopened bottle of Laphroaig. Opening the bottle, and leaving the cap on the table, she walked back to the overstuffed chair and took a deep pull from the bottle feeling the warmth spread through her numb, cold limbs. Setting the bottle next to her feet she picked the letter back up and continued.

_I know you’re sitting in our favorite chair, with my bottle of the good stuff on the floor wondering what the hell happened, yes? Well, darling, I have had cancer for five years. After watching your seanathair go through all the treatments, I chose not to. I also chose not to tell you as well. I know you are probably angry at me right now for that one, yet I stand strong in my decision. I did not want to watch you worry about me when you have so many other things to worry about, and I didn’t want you to see me waste away like he did._

_Now, for the tedious stuff. I need to be next to your seanathair on the hill behind the house, and I expect you to throw a party for me at Flannery’s Pub after the service. Make sure that Father Michael doesn’t drink too much and Sally sings for everyone. I know that the last thing you want to read is everything that you have inherited, so I placed that information in a letter with my Will when you’re ready to read all that._

_Know that I love you darling, and I am happy to finally be with you seanathair. Be strong for us, and try not to drink the whole bottle this evening my sweet girl._

_Love,_

_Nanna_

Caille dropped the letter and wiped at the tears that had silently slid down her face as she read. Grabbing the bottle from the floor again, she took another deep pull from it and stood to leave the paperwork where it fell onto the floor. Taking the bottle, she climbed the stairs to start a bath and hopefully drink to the point of passing out.


	2. Rough Landing

Long, dark brown hair held back with a piece leather, fell over an armor encased back. Strong shoulders currently bent over, looked over a large map covering the table. Solas stood in the middle of his command room. Tapping long-tapered fingers on the large table that took up most of the room, he stared at the new plans for extracting more elven slaves from Tevinter that Fenris sent by courier earlier. He rubbed his tired blue eyes,  _this is going to be a fucking nightmare,_ he realized as he looked over the notes. He would need to reach out to the Inquisitor for help. Standing with his personal Eluvian dormant behind him, he jotted notes down on a piece of parchment when he felt a familiar tingle of magic run across the back of his neck. Narrowing his eyes to molten silver orbs glowing from his narrow face, he raised his head slowly.

Turning, he watched as his Eluvian activated and instead of the normally opaque silver-blue color, it was a mint green. He could feel the similarities of the magic's signature as it was close to his own as it vibrated across his skin. _Curious,_ he thought as he sent out his aura to test the edges of the new magic and suddenly he was yanked through the mirror.

“ _What the…_ ”

Solas grunted as he felt stretched and pulled like a bakers bread dough for what he was sure was long enough to guarantee he was going to be sick. Suddenly he snapped back into shape as he was unceremoniously spat out of the green vortex to land on his hands and knees on a hardwood floor. Turning quickly as his head spun dizzily, he could see the mirror that had just spit him out go black.

“ _Fen’edhis!”_  he spat quickly as he sat up on his knees trying to catch his breath and take in his surroundings.

The room was completely dark and with a flick of his fingers a small mage light formed in his outstretched fingers as he studied the room. When he realized he was no longer in his own castle the door burst open with a small woman holding something in her hand yelling at him.

“Hold you sodding piece of shite!” Caille snarled coldly.

Solas extinguished the mage light and held his hands out in a surrendering motion. No matter how much he squinted his eyes, this small woman made sure she stood with a light behind her so he could not see her unless he wanted to create another mage light. Somehow, he didn’t think it would be a good idea.

“I mean you no harm, my lady. I am unsure as to how I got here myself.”

He spoke softly with an accent she had never heard before as she watched him glance at the cold mirror behind him and then back towards her.

Caille stared at the man currently on her nanna’s bedroom floor dressed in some sort of fur and armor. _Is that a staff on his back? Are his ears pointed? Sodding Scotch,_ she snorted. _I must be dreaming…there is no fucking way,_ she thought as she took one hand and rubbed her eyes quickly as she dropped her 9mm to her side.

Solas watched as she relaxed her hold on whatever weapon she had in her hand and realized he had never heard this type of speech before. The woman gave him another dismissive glance and turned from the door muttering to herself.

“Fucking seeing shite now…Elves…pfft…what the hell is in that Scotch nanna…” she grumbled as she walked back down the hall towards her bedroom, leaving Solas to slowly stand in the room alone.

He didn’t know what else to do as he felt his feet slowly follow the small human as she went back to her own chamber slamming the door in his face. Staring at the door that barely missed his nose by scant inches, he grabbed the handle and opened the door as he caught a glimpse of shapely legs as the woman slid the weapon into her nightstand and slipped herself back beneath her covers. _She thinks she is dreaming,_ he realized as he watched the small human appear to quickly go back to sleep.

He left the door open so the light from the hallway could shine into the room and strode towards the bed unsure if he should really try to wake her or wait. Taking a deep breath he reached down and shook her shoulder gently.

“My Lady…I assure you that you are not dreaming.”

Solas felt his lips quirk at the edges at the irony of his situation as he gently shook her shoulder again. His face blossoms instantaneously with pain before he could place a barrier around himself with the small woman's fast movements.

Caille's training took over when she felt the man gently touching her shoulder and loomed over her. She slammed the assailant in the nose with her forehead and rolled out of the bed as he fell back blinded by his broken nose. She could hear the man speaking in a language she had never heard before as she crept behind him and went to leg sweep him only to hit a barrier of something and found she couldn’t touch him. _What the hell?_ She thought quickly as she watched the large man turn towards her.

“Fen’edhis lasa,” he groaned as he held his bleeding nose turning towards her in astonishment.

Caille realized then just how tall the man really was. Rolling her small shoulders, _they all bleed,_ she thought as she pulled her hand back to punch him again and ran into the same barrier that had stopped her from dropping him to the floor. _What the hell is going on here…why can’t I hit him?_ She watched his eyes glow with swirls of silver and finally taking in the pointed ears, absolutely not of this world clothing and the realization that she was definitely not dreaming if the slight discomfort in her forehead meant anything. She paled as she literally flipped back away from him. _Nanna wasn’t just spinning yarn there really are Fae…_ her mind shrieked as she held her hand out.

“Tá mé leithscéal mo chara, ní raibh mé aithníonn tú.”

Caille watched in awe as the tall elf’s hands glowed around his nose and she could only assume he was healing himself. _Well, it’s gonna take a lot more than just some fucking oats in the bowl to fix this girl,_ she chastised herself.

Solas had no idea what the small human had just said but he could feel the contriteness in her tone. Refreshing his barrier not taking any chances with the quick little human, he healed his broken nose. Letting his eyes glide over her slight form, he had to commend her on her solid connection. _It would seem she is a fighter like Da’fen,_ he thought with a small sad smile of remembrance at the Inquisitor. Once his nose was fixed, he cocked his head to the side and studied the woman in the doorway. Clearing his throat he could smell her fear and uncertainty on the air and wanted to calm her.

“Da’ise, I am not a threat to you. Please…let us parley so that I may explain to you what I know and maybe get an idea as to where I am and who you are…yes?”

She had never heard this type of accent before, but she could feel his sincerity and took a step hesitantly forward. She stopped at the end of her bed and slightly hopped onto the end sitting Indian-style and gestured for the tall elf to sit with her.

“Beidh mé ag cabhrú leat an chuid is fearr is féidir liom.” 

Solas looked at her quizzically. _Does she not speak common?_ He thought quickly as his mind ruffled through an old spell that he could use to help translate.

“My name is Solas…you do not speak Common?” he finally questioned hoping that would not be the case because he wasn’t sure he remembered the spell completely.

Caille looked at him curiously and gave him a small nod of understanding.

“My name is Caille, and of course I speak English. I was told that your kind only spoke Gaelic though.”

Solas felt his eyebrow raise at her comment… _My kind? Might I be closer to Thedas than I thought?_ Tapping his chin, she watched his confused look run across his face.

“Are you not of the Fae?” She questioned quietly.

Solas raised an eyebrow in question not sure what she meant by 'Fae'. Seeing her look at him again she continued doggedly.

“Maybe my accent is too thick… I am human are you a Sidhe or Unseelie Fae?” she spoke quickly watching him.

Solas finally realized she was talking about race and shook his head quickly.

“I am Elvhen,” he stated simply.

Caille smiled at him thinking to herself, _well no shit boy’o._

“Yes, I realize you are Elvhen…but are you Sidhe or Unseelie?”

Solas looked at her thankful she knew of elves then wondered about these other clans. _Are they like the Dalish?_ he wondered at who this other species of elvhen could be. He shook his head quickly at her as he enunciated his initial statement.

“I am **just** Elvhen…and you are human yes?”

Caille snorted at his comment and shook her head affirmative. Taking a deep breath, she realized that maybe the old stories were just wrong.

“Is there any other kind,” she joked quickly. Solas breathed easier at her lightened mood.

“You would be surprised,” he said quietly. Then asked her the questions he wasn’t sure he wanted an answer too but desperately needed to know.

“What year is this?”

Caille looked at him sympathetically thinking the mound he came from must not have a sense of time.

“It is January twelfth, two thousand and seventeen,” she replied.

Solas’ gaze shot to her realizing he was no longer in a Dragon Age and spoke quietly hoping he was wrong and still within some proximity of Thedas.

“What country am I currently on?”

Caille’s eyebrows scrunched up at the crazy question yet answered him sensing that something was wrong.

“You’re in Ireland and before you ask, Earth is the planet,” she said softly and watched the elf’s eyes get larger as she then watched his face fall in distress and she reached out feeling his pain as keenly as she did the loss of her nanna.

“Is there something wrong?” she questioned as she swept her hand onto his arm ignoring the strong flesh beneath her fingers.

Solas dropped his face into his hands. _No…no…no…this can’t be happening…_ he rubbed his hands over his face harshly until he felt small hands slide from his arm and grab his hand keeping him from punishing his eyes further with the pressure he was currently punishing them with. He glanced at her and she took a quick intake of breath as she watched the despair reflect from his eyes and his face so easy for her to read.

“Solas?” she said softly as she watched his face and felt her heart twist at the sight of his pain.

“It would seem da’ise…I have been pulled to a realm I did not know existed.”

Standing quickly letting her hand drop from his, he completely ignored the soothing calmness of her aura that tingled on his skin where she had touched and bowed deeply if not quickly towards her.

“I will trouble you no further my lady Caille. I shall take my leave,” he said quickly as he turned on his heel. Caille jumped off the bed to follow him down the hall and watched him try to figure his way out of the house.

“Well if you don’t even know where the hell you are, where do you think you are going to go?” she questioned him quickly as she watched him try to get his bearings.

_Excellent question,_ he thought as he felt her walking up behind him.

“Stay Solas…maybe I can help you get back to…where ever you came from.”

She watched his shoulders fall from their previous regal stance to a crushed curve and felt sadness at the sight. She could tell he was a strong, proud man and all of this was too much. Walking forward silently, she laid her hand gently on his wrist and felt his jolt of surprise as he stared down at her.

“Well you already know I have a spare room, so let’s get you set up in there. We can talk over breakfast in the morning if you’re still here and don’t get zapped out in the middle of the night.”

He stood as still as a statue as her small hand took his, and brought him back to the room he came into. He flinched when she flipped a small switch on the wall that lit the room with soft light. He could see she was assessing him from foot to head and then shrugged quickly.

“Do you need help out of your…umm…armor?”

He watched the slight blush forming on her cheeks. Sliding his staff off and leaning it against the wall, he nodded his head intrigued with the earlier feelings she had provoked upon touching him as he pointed to the buckles that were located in the center of his back that usually Abelas would unbuckle for him. He held his breath waiting to see if the jolt of recognition was a fluke as he felt her nimble fingers find the buckles between himself and the armor. The small little sparks that ran up his spine as she quickly released him from his cumbersome gear answered his question. _Not a fluke old wolf,_ he grumbled to himself silently sliding the heavy piece over his head and placing it gently onto a chair in a corner and felt her gaze upon him as he removed his leg pieces. Smiling at her as he stood in his linen underclothes he watched her face tint and look away quickly while he looked down realizing the cloth was a bit more see-through than he had originally thought. Cocking his eyebrow at her he crossed his arms as he watched her face change from embarrassed curiosity to completely controlled. _Curious,_ he thought.

“Give me a second Solas, your gonna freeze in those. I am sure that some of my Grandfather’s clothing should fit you…nothing spectacular but it is warm and comfortable.”

He watched her dart from the room quickly and listened to her make a bunch of noise in the hallway. He chuckled softly when he heard her lowly spoken curses when something fell. When she returned with an armful of clothing, he glanced at the clothing in curiosity and then at her as she spoke.

“These should fit you…he was really tall like you but then…he got cancer…these are slightly slimmer than any of the others though…” she blathered on and felt his warm hand on her arm and she felt instantly calmer as she stared at his hand.

“I can sleep in what I have da’ise, you do not need to concern yourself.”

Caille glanced from his hand on her arm to his concerned face. Her fingers itched to slip the dark lock of escaped hair behind his pointed ear. Rub her thumb over the worry lines on his forehead. She felt a little lost in his dark slate blue eyes encased with long, full dark lashes. Full lips currently pulled into a soft frown for her wellbeing, resting above a strong chin with a small indent in the center her fingers suddenly wanted to touch... _Oye…pull your shite together! He is a Fae…nanna warned you that they were tempting, do not fall for them_ she reminded herself. Shaking her head as if to clear it she thrust the clothing into his arms.

Solas felt spellbound by her emerald green eyes. He took in the smattering of freckles over a smooth layer of alabaster skin and long curly fire red hair that he would bet is alive if he tried to touch it, knowing it would burn him. She stopped his thoughts quickly when she abruptly shoved the clothing into his arms bringing him out of his own mind.

“It gets cold in here without a fire, and these will keep you warm for the night until I can get some peat up here for you.”

Unsure of what she meant, he watched her turn quickly with a wave over her shoulder at him, “see you in the morning Solas.”

The door closed with a soft click and he took in his room again. He slid out of his linens and slipped the borrowed clothing on quickly. He found that the pants included a built-in string to tighten them if needed. Sliding the long-sleeved shirt over his head he rubbed his hands along the cloth. He had never felt cloth like this before and found it fluffy and warm. Softly padding around the room taking in all the pictures on the walls. He walked to the fireplace and glanced at the pictures on the mantle as he pulled his hair from beneath his collar. Seeing that all of them had his small hostess in them with an older couple he could only assume that these were her grandparents. He came to a picture of her in some kind of green outfit and small hat on her head holding a piece of wood inlaid with some kind of metal with writing on it that he couldn’t make out. He moved to the next one and she wore a large smile with her arm thrown around another man in a playful choke hold like Bull would do to Sera and was surrounded by a group of men wearing the same outfits holding the same metal sticks. To him, the land surrounding them reminded him of the Western Approach.

He turned from the pictures and walked towards the mirror he had come through. Running his hand over the surface, sending a pulse of magic out, the mirror did not even ripple and he frowned at his reflection. He could feel the energy around the object yet he could not activate it. Sitting on the bed, he rubbed his face angrily. _Of all the times for this to happen…I am so close to my goal._ He took a deep easy breath appreciating that once Abelas realized he was missing, he would take over the mission. He would send the note to Da’fen so that the anchor could be removed safely from her. She was a good warrior, with a wonderful spirit. He had been happy for her when the Commander had married her. She was the only one he had kept contact with as she was one of the few true friends he had who convinced him to find another way to take down the veil.

Sighing heavily at everything that was left undone, he felt exhaustion sink in and started to wonder if he would be able to walk the fade in this realm. Laying back and pulling the thick blankets around him he enjoyed the comfort of the soft bed with its thick pillows, and thick bedding as he closed his eyes. With a flick of his hand out, he effortlessly turned the light switch off submerging the room into darkness.

 

Caille closed her door behind her and walked to her bed and flopped down face first refusing to think about any of it. _Nanna…there is a handsome elf in your room,_ she joked silently _._ She giggled softly at how the old woman would have reacted to finding him on her floor. Crawling under the covers and pulling them over her head, she snuggled down and closed her eyes feeling the fresh anguish swarm her as she gripped her pillow tightly and cried softly hoping tomorrow would be better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fen’edhis - Wolf penis  
> Fen’edhis lasa - go suck a wolf's dick  
> Tá mé leithscéal mo chara, ní raibh mé aithníonn tú - I am sorry my friend, I did not recognize you. (Gaelic)  
> Da'fen - small wolf  
> Da'ise - little fire  
> Beidh mé ag cabhrú leat an chuid is fearr is féidir liom - I will help you the best I can (Gaelic)


	3. New Day

Caille rubbed the sleep from her eyes and rolled from the warm cocoon of her bed. Quickly straitening the bedding, she padded softly to her dresser pulling out jeans and a black pullover that had the bold yellow letters of ISF printed on the front. Grabbing the rest of her underthings she walked to the bathroom to take a shower.

 

Letting her hair dry naturally, she stopped at the closet to grab her guest more clothing. _If he’s still there,_ she thought. Grabbing a pair of jeans and a woolen pullover, she glanced at the loafers and grabbed them just in case, if not she could pick him up a pair of shoes and underclothes when she went to town. Closing the door with a swing of her hips, she opened the bedroom door quietly and saw that he was indeed still there…and still handsome. _Oye…No!... stop that girl. He is not to be played with,_ she chastised herself as she walked noiselessly into the room and laid the clothes on the chair.

She gazed at his sleeping form again and let a small sigh leave her lungs that she was helpless to stop. His long dark hair was laying on his throat and pillow, one of his hands laid slightly curled over his stomach the other under the pillow beneath his head. Long eyelashes softly laid against high cheekbones that had a few freckles that dusted them and his nose. His nose has a noble bridge to it, and from her current angle, she could see that it was perfect even knowing she had broken it last night. She watched his even breaths move his chest up and down and realized he was really well built. As she watched him sleep, her mind went back to their conversation from before. _He said he had been brought to a realm he didn’t know existed…so where the hell **is** he from,_ she thought as her eyes focused on the up and down motion of his chest as he breathed lost in her thoughts.

Solas laid there quietly allowing the woman to study him thinking he was still asleep. _Well, old wolf, if you’re going to get stuck in a different realm at least you get stuck with a beautiful woman_ , he thought with a mental smile. Opening his eyes slowly, he let his eyes take in the woman who had not realized he was awake yet. _She is small_ , he thought as his eyes took in her small stature and then remembered how hard she had hit him in the nose. Trying not to laugh at being caught off guard like that, his eyes finally found hers and felt his breath hitch when she gave him a soft smile. _So far…this new realm…not too bad if I am waking up to this,_ he thought as he returned her smile.

“Good morning Solas,” she spoke quietly.

“Good morning to you as well Caille.”

She had not noticed before the growling timber of his voice and felt a small shiver run up her back causing small goosebumps to form on her arms. Giving herself a mental shake she pointed to the clothes in the chair.

“I believe I have some daytime clothing for you to wear. You probably want to take a shower first. When you’re done, just come downstairs, I will start breakfast while you clean up.”

Solas slipped from the bed and cocked his head questioningly at her directions.

“I am unfamiliar with this…shower you spoke of.”

Caille stared at him surprised and then realized he had said he was from somewhere else.  With a large smile on her face, she grabbed his hand and led him towards the bathroom. Solas found he enjoyed the woman’s enthusiasm and the feeling of her hand within his while trying to focus on what she was saying.

“Then you are going to love this form of bathing.”

With a burst of laughter at his questioning look, she turned the corner and flicked the light on in the spacious room. Solas could see a bathtub but there was no wash basin or chamber pot and he looked around confused for a moment and unconsciously tightened his hold on the small hand within his. Caille glanced at his face and could see his apprehension. Keeping his hand in her own, she first walked towards the sink.

“Here is your sink. Turning these knobs here will bring the water in. The knob on the left is cold and the one on the right is for hot. I have a brand-new toothbrush you can use on your teeth right here…you have used one of these before yes?” she gazed at him and watched as he shook his head no.

“Well this stuff in this tube is called toothpaste, it tastes like mint. Anyway, you squeeze some onto the bristles of this brush and rub the bristles with the paste over your teeth to clean them. I can show you after breakfast if you're still confused.”

Solas looked at the stuff and then back at her realizing she was serious. He had always used magic to clean his teeth. Smiling at her thankfully he spoke hesitantly.

“I believe your explanation is sufficient.”

Caille pulled him towards the commode and began her explanation.

“This is where you can…uh…relieve yourself,” she said quickly seeing him blush slightly with understanding. “When you’re done, you push this lever and it removes the evidence,” she said teasingly. Solas found himself laughing.

“I see,” he chuckled feeling her pull him towards the large tub next.

“I am sure you are familiar with a bathtub. However, this one has knobs like the sink over there so you can control the temperature of the water. Once you reach the temperature you want, you flick this lever here between the two knobs and water will come out of this nozzle up here, it’s called a shower. Up here on the shelf is the shampoo for your hair and soap for your body.”

Solas stared at the contraption then to her. Caille bent quickly and showed him how it worked then turned and smiled at him. She realized she had been holding his hand the entire time and let him go quickly as she walked to the small closet. Grabbing him a washcloth and a towel, she placed them on the counter and turned towards him smiling as she shoved her hands into her pockets to keep from touching him again.

“I…uh…will leave you to it then. Yell if you need anything, I’ll just be downstairs starting breakfast.”

Solas watched her quickly retreat and then turned to look at his reflection. Grabbing the toothbrush just to try it once he did as she told him and began brushing his teeth. _Ugh…this stuff is terrible,_ he thought as he spits it out quickly. Turning the cold knob on, he rinsed his mouth quickly and used magic to clean his teeth instead. _Much better,_ he thought running his tongue along this teeth as he removed the braids from the sides of his head and turning towards the shower. Working the knobs as she instructed he found the temperature he wanted and stripped quickly when he flipped the lever and watched the water come out of the nozzle. Stepping under the spray, he couldn’t keep the groan of pleasure at the feeling of the hot water hitting him. Washing quickly, he turned the shower off and stepped out grabbing the towel she had supplied enjoying the soft feel of it against his skin as he dried himself quickly. Realizing he had left the clothing she had brought him back in the chamber, he wrapped the towel around his waist and picked up his sleeping clothes to go back to the bedroom and dress feeling a bit of excitement at this new realm he found himself in.

Caille had poured herself a cup of coffee and started the bacon. She turned when she heard him enter the kitchen and her breath hitched at how he filled the doorway. Her eyes slowly roamed his body and noticed that the soft grey woolen sweater made his eyes darker and molded perfectly to his well-built chest, and those jeans fit him very well she realized with the way the material molded to him, his legs filling the material nicely. Trying not to be completely obvious she picked up her coffee and took a gulp and grimaced as it burned her tongue.

Solas had stood frozen under her scrutiny. He had never been looked at like that before and found it quite pleasurable. He couldn’t stop the laugh that came out of him when he watched her grimace at the hotness of her drink. She placed it back on the counter and laughed at herself as well.

“That’ll teach me to ogle someone before I’ve had my first cup of coffee,” she muttered and Solas leaned against the wall laughing.

Caille enjoyed the deep sound of his laugh and turned back to the bacon slipping a lid over it. Rubbing her hands together she glanced back at him and felt the room shrink with him in it. Shaking the thoughts away, she grabbed another cup from the cupboard.

“Would you like a cup of coffee or I could make you some tea if you would prefer.”

Solas scrunched his nose in distaste at the offer of tea.

“I would like to try your coffee if I may, I detest tea.”

She looked at him in astonishment.

“You’ve never had coffee before?”

Solas smiled, “I am sure there is going to many firsts for me this morning.”

Caille turned and poured him a cup and brought it to him.

“Do you generally like your drinks sweet?”

Solas nodded and watched her grab another container bringing her coffee with her.

“Here, taste mine and see if you like it that way we will know how to make yours.”

Solas took a sip of hers and his eyes grew wide at the burst of flavors.

“Yes, I would like it like yours please.”

Caille smiled and he watched her prepare his. He took a tentative sip and closed his eyes in pleasure. His eyes opened slowly at her laughter and watched her turn back to her cooking. He could see no fire beneath and curiously he walked up behind her to get a better look at the device. The sound of his voice sent butterflies to flutter around her stomach when he spoke from behind her.

“I understand that you are cooking, but how? I do not see a fire beneath the pan. Are you using a fire rune?”

Caille glanced at him over her shoulder quickly and just as quickly focused back on the bacon realizing that his damp hair framed his face beautifully. Clearing her throat, she explained a bit huskier than she had hoped her voice would sound.

“This is called a stove, it works off of electricity.”

Solas stared at it and spoke softly, “fascinating.”

He leaned his hip against the counter and watched her peel potatoes and pull from an icebox some eggs. He looked at the large box and did not see a frost ruin to keep things cold within yet he felt the cold release from within when she opened the door. He must have looked perplexed because she started explaining that as well.

“That is called a refrigerator, it also runs off of electricity.”

Turning from the contraption, he looked out the window and watched the clouds form in the distance. _You are a long way from your home old wolf,_ he thought sadly. Caille watched him from the corner of her eye as she put the bacon on a plate to drain and slide the potatoes into the awaiting bacon grease. _He looks as lost as I feel,_ she thought to herself. Taking a deep breath, she found herself focusing on his problems more so than planning out nanna’s burial and party. She wanted to feel bad for the relief but couldn’t find it in herself. Solas’s eyes slid to her as he heard the heavy breath she had taken and wondered what had her so unhappy. There was so much he didn’t know about her or her know about him and yet here he was in her kitchen as she was making him food and accepted that he was there. He was unsure if he could have been so accepting if the roles were reversed. Taking another drink of his coffee he gazed back outside enjoying the wildness of the weather. He turned from the view when she spoke.

“Breakfast is ready Solas, take a seat and I will bring you a plate.”

He walked to the small corner table and sat as she brought him a plate that smelled delicious. She handed him utensils and a napkin then sat across from him to dig in. He waited for her to take a bite first and when she did he picked up a piece of the meat and groaned when he took a bite. Caille laughed at his noises and facial expressions.

“You can’t tell me that the food where you come from is that bad.”

Solas took a sip of his coffee and shook his head, laughing slightly.

“No, it’s not all horrible, it has just been a few months since I ate a meal that wasn’t made with ram or nug with porridge or around a fire,” he explained as he took a bite of the potatoes and wanted to groan again.

Caille took a sip of her coffee and glanced at how quickly he ate. _Good thing I made more, he is obviously starved._

“I have more bacon and potatoes if you want.”

Solas looked at her happily, “yes please” he said quickly making her laugh as she went and grabbed the pan with potatoes and the plate of bacon.

When breakfast was done, Caille cleared the table and went to the sink and jolted when she felt his hand on her arm.

“You cooked, I will clean,” he stated commandingly as he took the dishes from her.

She nodded her agreement and turned the facet on handing him the washcloth and soap. He smiled his thanks and started washing the plates. She picked up her coffee and filled it up again asking him silently if he would like a refill and saw him nod quickly. She laughed and made him another cup like her own. She could see that he was happy in washing the dishes and she realized this felt very domestic until she watched him flick his fingers over the plate to dry it and she dropped her coffee cup. The loud crash as it shattered on the floor jolted both of them.

Solas looked at her quickly seeing the frozen look of astonishment and fear on her face as she stared at the plate in his hand.

“D…d…did you just magically dry that dish?” she stuttered out.

Solas raised an eyebrow at her inquisitively.

“Do you not have magic here da’ise?”

Caille shook her head unable to speak staring at him. Solas smiled understandingly.

“Ah, I see,” he said as he walked to where the broken cup lay in pieces on the floor and coffee ran in a puddle around her feet. With another flick of his, wrist the cup was restored and he placed the cup on the counter. Caille stared at the cup and looked down, noticing that the coffee was gone from the floor. Solas turned back to the sink and continued washing the dishes as Caille touched the restored cup gently then looked at him.

“Does everyone have magic where you come from?” she asked tentatively.

He glanced over at her quickly and smiled then dried another dish.

“No, not everyone.”

Caille stood frozen for a moment and realized that she was being silly. She knew he had magic when he fixed his nose last night. _Pull it together girly, he is Fae remember?_ She reprimanded herself. The phone rang on the wall and saw the startled look on his face and felt a little better knowing she wasn’t the only one with firsts today. She walked to the wall and grabbed the receiver.

“Maidin mhaith,”

Solas listened absently to the rhythm of her voice when she spoke into the device and enjoyed the way it rolled over him. Curious as to the thing she spoke into he finished the dishes and placing the dried pan onto the stove he made quick work of making sure the counters were clean as well before she turned back towards him. He pointed at the device on the wall and asked quickly.

“What is that?”

Caille smiled at his curiosity. “It is called a telephone cara. You can communicate with someone from anywhere on one of those.”

“Ahh, and the meaning of Cara?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

“It means “friend” in Gaelic. If you do not speak that language what language do you speak Solas?”

He shrugged, “I speak Elven mostly, but I also speak common, Orlesian, Antivan, Tevene and some Dwarven.”

She stared at him then quickly thought about the phrase he called her often.

“I assume da’ise is Elven, so what does it mean?”

Solas smiled enjoying the sound of his language on her tongue.

“It means “little fire” in my language.”

Caille nodded and smiled at him turning from him quickly as she realized she was staring again. She spoke as she walked towards the sitting room, feeling him follow behind her as she picked up the paperwork from the floor with a heavy sigh.

“I have to go into town and make some…arrangements this morning,” she said sadly and Solas watched as she kept her back to him while folding the pieces of paper she picked up from the floor not missing the change in her voice or demeanor. He watched her turn quickly and paste a false smile onto her face as her eyes reflected her grief. He stepped towards her and took her hands gently within his own as he gazed into her hurt-filled eyes.

“What is wrong Caille?” he questioned gently.

She stared at his large hands holding hers and felt the rush of fresh tears begin. _NO…no crying,_ she screamed in her head.

“I must make arrangements for my grandmother’s burial, she…died three days a…ago,” she choked out. Pulling her hands from his she turned away from him angrily swiping away the tears that had begun to fall not wanting him to see her cry.

He could feel her grief beating against him as he stood behind her and found he could not stop himself from gently turning her into him and holding her. He felt her arms wrap around his waist as she cried into him accepting the comfort he offered freely and even if he didn’t want to admit it to himself, he felt compelled to hold her, comfort her.

She was unsure how long she had stood against him crying, accepting the soothing strokes of his hand against her back as he spoke to her soft words she didn’t understand but she realized it felt nice to lean on someone for a moment. Squeezing him, she pulled away and felt his hand under her chin as his deep grey eyes gazed into her own. She stood still as he gently wiped the tears from her cheeks and smiled a little wobbly at him when he smiled softly at her.

“Go freshen up and I will escort you,” he said gently.

“I think I would like that, thank you Solas.”

He watched her walk away and felt heavy with her grief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> da'ise - little fire  
> Maidin mhaith - Good morning (Gaelic)  
> Cara - friend (Gaelic)


	4. The Arrangements

Walking from the house, Solas moved his hand over the front of the door, setting a freezing ward and turned to see her watching him curiously.

“It is a ward to keep others out,” he stated simply.

She nodded then pointed towards the jeep. Opening the passenger door for him he stared at it then her unsure of what was expected.

“You get in, sit down and close the door. I will get in on the other side and help you buckle up.”

Solas did as she said and watched her walk around to get in on the other side doing the same. He enjoyed the smell of her as she leaned across him to grab the strap showing him how to “buckle up”.

Caille felt the heat of him as she pressed into his side reaching for the seatbelt. Showing him how the belt worked she gazed at him realizing that his ears were on display and grabbed one of her hats out of the back seat placing it on his lap.

“Your gonna want to wear that when we get to town Solas. I am sure that there are not too many elves running around for you to blend in with.”

He looked at the hat than at her quizzically. Seeing her pointing to his ears, he laughed.

“Oh, yes…of course.”

She watched his hands glow softly with a mint color of green as he held them up to the sides of his head covering his ears. When he removed his hands his ears looked to be human and no longer elven. Reaching out tentatively, she stopped herself and looked at him silently asking for permission to touch them. Solas smiled and nodded his acceptance and had to withhold a moan of pleasure as she gently traced their shape. Feeling the realness of them she smiled at him as she pulled her hand back and grabbed the hat from his lap throwing it back into the backseat.

“That is so cool,” she said with astonishment. “I am going to miss seeing your real ears though,” she said wistfully.

He smiled, pleased that she preferred the way he looked normally that he spoke somewhat huskily.

“I will remove the enchantment when we return.”

She cleared her throat nervously as the vibration of his voice sent little flutters off in her stomach again. Turning the key in the ignition, she turned sharply at his quick intake of breath.

“Etuna! Ahn is min?” he exclaimed quickly as he grabbed the dashboard nervously forgetting to speak in common.

Caille chuckled and patted his arm that currently had a death grip on her dash understanding his distress.

“This is how we travel and get around. They call this a vehicle, and there are different types not unlike different types of horses. This one is known as a jeep, just try and relax Solas. If you can time travel then you can definitely do this,” she said jokingly.

He looked at her and laughed nervously removing his hands and placing them on his lap. He nodded his readiness as he realized she was waiting for him. As the vehicle backed out he felt his stomach lurch and as she took off down the road he gripped his legs with unease. _This is not unlike a carriage, although this one goes much faster,_ he thought nervously as he watched the scenery fly by him. Closing his eyes trying to stave off the nausea, he felt her hand wrap around his and couldn’t stop himself from gripping it tightly with his nervousness.

Caille glanced at him seeing that his eyes were closed tightly and that he was focusing on breathing and felt sorry for him. _This must all be so scary for him,_ she thought. When she had grasped his hand to reassure him everything would be okay, she felt him respond with a desperate hold and she felt the tingles of awareness run up her arm again. Focusing on the road she tried to ignore the feeling of his fingers entwined with her own and found she was fighting a losing battle. The pads of his fingers were calloused, and she wondered where he had gotten them and what from. _I wonder how they would feel if they were on my…whoa right there girly…not going into that no matter how wonderful of a distraction he is right now._

Pulling into Saint Catherine’s church, she stared at the doors knowing she would have to speak with Father Michael. Taking a deep breath, she felt his gentle reassuring squeeze of her hand and glanced at him as she removed her hand from his and placed the jeep in park before turning it off.

He watched how she unbuckled herself and opened the door. Following her example, he stepped out of the car breathing in the fresh air enjoying the breeze on his skin. He walked beside her and grasped the doors of what he was sure was a Chantry and pulled the door open for her seeing her lips lift at the corners, he followed her through the door.

Caille walked to the fount and dipped her hand in the water making a sign of the cross as she knelt then stood walking towards the office of Father Michael. Solas watched her genuflection curiously but kept quiet as he followed silently behind her. Before she could knock he spoke quietly.

“Shall I wait for you here da’ise?”

She gazed up at him and nodded watching him move to wait on a bench near the door, she turned and knocked. The elderly man that answered the door recognized the small woman and pulled her into his arms gently.

“My sweet child Cailleach, come in and let’s talk,” he said gently as he ushered her into the room closing the door behind them.

Solas sat quietly waiting until his curiosity got to him as he gazed at the different colored glass depicting a story. He went from one to another enjoying the artistry of each window. When he reached the last one the door opened and he watched her walk out with reddened eyes knowing that she had been crying again. Walking towards her quickly she smiled a bit wobbly at him as he reached her side. He could see the man behind her looking at him curiously as he walked towards her. Stopping he bowed slightly, before introducing himself.

“Good day Serah, my name is Solas.”

Caille watched his old-world introduction and glanced at Father Michael quickly seeing his curious gaze on the tall man. _Grrreeeeaaatttt... there is no way he is going to just blend in. He is too tall, far too damn polite, and way to fucking good looking,_ she thought as she cleared her throat anxiously.

“I’m sorry Solas, this is Father Michael. He has been the priest of this church since I was a child.”

Solas nodded his head in understanding hearing the priest speak up with the same thick accent as hers.

“Aye, I have. Nice to meet you as well, young man.”

Looking at Caille inquisitively he asked, “is he one of your military friend’s child?”

Caille answered quickly before Solas could and nodded her head.

“Yes father, he is. We shall see you tomorrow then?”

Father Michael kissed both of her cheeks before answering her.

“Aye child, I’ll be there at three. I am glad to see you are not alone during this time,” he answered sadly.

She returned his sad smile and grabbed Solas’s hand leading him out of the church. Solas enjoyed the feeling of her hand within his as they walked back to her vehicle. Opening her door for her, he waited to see she was fully seated and closed it, walking around to the other side he slid in and closed his own door.

He could see her twisting her fingers and reached over to slide his hand over hers wanting to bring her some semblance of comfort.

“What must be done next da’ise?”

She closed her eyes and took a shaky breath focusing on the feeling of his fingers rubbing across her hand. Finally looking at him, she spoke with an unsteady voice as she started the Jeep.

“Flannery’s Pub, where she wanted her party.”

Solas released her hand after a gentle squeeze and pulled the strap across himself. He focused on the shops and architecture of the buildings they passed seeing the small rock styled building in front of them realizing it was a tavern that she had spoken of but had called it a pub. He unbuckled and slid from the vehicle before she could open her door and found him waiting for her with a curious look on his face at her small laughter.

“Do the men of this time not open doors for their women?”

Caille snorted and tried hard not to focus on his use of “their”, _it’s a possessive term meaning…oh, stow it ya daft tit_ a nervous small laugh escaped her throat as she gazed up at him.

“No Solas, they generally do not. Chivalry is pretty much dead in this time. You only see it in the really old or just the really old fashioned.”

She watched him shake his head sadly as he closed her car door gently behind her and placing his hand against the small of her back as he walked her to the door of the pub and stop to gaze intently into her own eyes.

“Then I shall endeavor to show you how it should be then, yes ma da’ise?”

She could feel the heat of his hand against her and could barely focus on what he was saying from the sensations he was causing with his hand and the heated stare coming from his dark grey eyes. Swallowing nervously, she laughed softly.

“I believe I will enjoy learning that from you then.”

Solas glanced at her then quickly catching the dilation of her pupils, the heated flush on her face and her sweet smile. Feeling a riotous amount of feelings that he forcefully pushed to the back to analyze later as he focused on pulling the door to the tavern open and followed her inside. Standing behind her and allowing for his eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room he watched as the older woman from behind the counter wiped her hands on a towel and yelled out for everyone to hear.

“Oye everyone, as I live and breathe our sweet Cailleach is finally here.”

Solas mentally filed the small amounts of information that he had gathered from the many villagers. First, he had heard her full name and the way they pronounced it was hard to say. Secondly, he found that she was in some form of the military, and with a silent snort, he recalled that she had told the Chantry man that he was also. Solas felt so many eyes directed at them and instantly felt stunned as many of the people came towards them. She must have sensed his discomfort because he felt her hand reach behind her back and grab his hand holding it and effectively holding him in place at her back. Glancing down at her he watched her eyes silently plead with him to stay. Nodding slightly, she let his hand go as he left his hand placed at the small of her back as one after another came and hugged her never moving from his touch. He was quite sure that everyone in the place had come to hug her and then he saw the woman from behind the counter standing in front of them and grabbing her face kissing each side. Sliding her arm around her shoulders guiding her to a table.

“Come sit a spell and have a toast with us.”

He felt her hand gently grasp his and followed behind her quietly as the woman led them noticing the many glances at him as he followed quietly. _I haven’t been this uncomfortable since I walked into Haven with the label of Apostate,_ he thought as he caught a young man in a corner stand up straighter, eyes narrowing on their clasped hands as they passed. Keeping his face passive, he slipped into the seat next to her when she gestured for him to follow. He could feel her body slightly shaking next to him and he glanced at her quickly as she kept her eyes on the table focusing on breathing deeply. He could tell she was trying to keep her emotions under control. Sliding his hand to her knee he sent a small pulse of soothing magic into her to calm her obvious distress. When her eyes flashed up to his, he smiled slightly conveying silently he understood that her emotions were at the end.

“That was nice, thank you” she whispered a bit shakily.

He bowed his head slightly towards her, “you are welcome.”

He learned that the woman running the bar was named Sally when she came to introduce herself as she brought them a drink.

“Here is your Nan’s favorite Cailleach,” she said as she set a glass in front of them both.

“My name is Sally, and I own this little hole in the wall. Who might you be handsome?” she said with a playful wink.

Solas smiled kindly at her and gently tilted his head in a slight bow.

“My name is Solas, Lady Sally. I am pleased to meet you.”

He watched as the matronly woman blushed and playfully slapped at his arm.

“Aren’t you just a sweet talker,” she winked at him again and then laughed loudly. “Good…our Cailleach needs a good sweeping off her feet.”

Solas sat a little stunned at the talkative woman and watched as she turned with her own glass up in a toast. Solas watched as everyone raised their glass and grabbed his own. _When in Rivaine you do as the Rivanese,_ he thought as he held his own glass aloft.

“Here is to a woman who was a Nan to us all. We raise our glass to Moira, a woman unlike any other. My dear sweet friend until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand.”

With a resounding “Cheers” from everyone, he took a drink and felt the warm burn run down his throat. Glancing down into his glass then to Caille, he watched her finish hers and he took a deep breath and finished it off feeling the slow warm burn all the way down his throat. _This was not an unpleasant taste,_ he thought as he set the glass down on the table and felt her small hand slip into his sending little shivers of pleasure up his arm.

Caille enjoyed how calming Solas was as he sat next to her. She couldn’t keep herself from taking small glances at him nor could she stop herself from touching him. There was something soothing in his calm, controlled strength. Something she needed desperately at the moment and had never needed before from anyone until him.

She glanced at him from her peripheral and studied his profile. He was leaned back in a relaxed manner yet she could tell it was false, for she had seen him relaxed and this was not it. She wondered if he had been in a war of some kind with the way his eyes constantly scanned the room. Always alert, listening, aware of his surroundings, and who was in them at all times. His false relaxed external manner reminded her of how she had been when she had returned home from Afghanistan on her last tour with the American’s. She felt his slight tensing at her side as Ryan O’Malley walked towards them. Watching Ryan walk with a slightly wobbly gait she realized he was looking directly at Solas and ignoring her completely. _Why God…why must there always be one young pup that thinks he can run with the big dogs,_ she thought bitterly as her gaze narrowed on her childhood friend.

“Who’s this Cailleach?” he asked almost belligerently as he pointed at Solas with his glass then took a drink.

Caille rubbed the bridge of her nose in annoyance and was about to answer him when she felt the slight squeeze of his hand. Solas placed his hands on the table, staring directly at the obviously drunk man as if he were as insignificant as a fleck of dirt.

“My name is Solas if you require introductions, may I inquire as to your name?” He asked politely while watching the man carefully. _Why are so many humans always so…lacking in manners,_ he thought as he kept his features calm and unassuming.

Caille’s eyes narrowed on Ryan as she watched him turn towards some of his friends at the bar realizing where this was going to go. _Fucking drunken idiot,_ she thought as Ryan continued with his belligerence.

“What kind of name is that? Where did you say you were from again boy’o?”

She felt his anger radiate from him _or is that my own_ she thought as she listened to Ryan laugh drunkenly while his friends agreeing with him only egging on his stupidity. Solas never was one to ignore such a blatant invitation smiled at him wickedly.

“I’m afraid I never said actually. I would be happy to show you on a map, but I am afraid that you might not be able to comprehend it Serah.”

_Well shit._ She watched Ryan slam his glass down at the blatant insult as Solas stood up towering a good six inches over Ryan radiating nothing but pure danger.

“Listen here you piece of shite, I’ll take ya outside and kick…”

Standing up quickly she slapped the table grabbing both their attentions before this turned very ugly. The hair on her arms was standing and her skin felt a coldness to it and if the magic or whatever made Solas himself was any indication, Ryan was about to find out how much that could hurt.

“Ryan Jonathan O’Malley where are your God-given manners. I bring a friend in here to help me celebrate and morn my Nanna’s passing and this is what you do? You insult him and act a complete jackass? If I wasn’t friends with your sister, I would let him give you the ass whoopin you are begging for. Now either apologize or get the hell out of here before I do it myself.”

Ryan looked at her then him and stormed back towards the bar where his friends sat ignoring her. Solas stepped from the bench silently seething as Caille came out. Placing his hand on the small of her back and Caille shivered with a cold chill at the strong hand pressed gently against her as he followed her towards the door. Solas could feel the man named Ryan following behind him. When he felt the tap on his should he couldn’t stop the feral grin that aligned his lips as he turned and caught the swinging fist directed at his face. Squeezing tightly and throwing in a bit of subtle magic that would send the muscles of the arm into a spasm, he enjoyed watching the man slowly kneel and groan in pain. Caille was staggered at how quick Solas had moved, as she watched him cause Ryan to fall to his knees holding just his fist within his hand.

“That is a very…very bad idea Ryan,” Solas growled coldly as he squeezed a bit more watching the pain and a fission of fear run across the man’s face before he finally released him. Standing again he placed his hand calmly on her back and then open the door for her as they left the small tavern.

Caille glanced up at his face and could see he was still very angry as he opened her car door and waited for her to get in and gently closed it. She could see the tightness in his jaw as he walked around and got in himself.

“Solas, I am so sor…” she stuttered to a stop when he held up his hand.

“You are not responsible for those who do not know when to shut up ma da’ise. Now, where do you need to go next?”

Shaking her head and laughing as she started the Jeep.

“I need to stop at a grocery store and a clothing store for you.”

Solas looked at her softly and smiled. _In the many places he had traveled in Thedas, it figures he had to go to a completely different realm to find such a compassionate soul. I am a fortunate man to have found her,_ he thought as he unconsciously reached up and gently rubbed his thumb across her cheek selfishly enjoying the feel of her skin beneath his thumb. Dropping his hand when he realized what he was doing, he turned to gaze out of the window and Caille put the car into motion trying to refrain from reaching up and touching her still tingling skin. _Careful girly, you’re gonna get in deep with this one,_ she cautioned herself as she focused on the road.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Etuna! Ahn is min? - shit! What is this?  
> da'ise - little fire  
> ma da'ise - my little fire


	5. Shopping

Caille led Solas into the shopping mall and felt the slight tightening of his fingers around her own. She enjoyed watching his curious gaze take in everything it could, and she could almost see him mentally cataloging his questions for later. When they strolled through the door of a men’s clothing shop, she waited for an attendant to approach them knowing it wouldn’t take long. Seeing a harried looking man stroll quickly towards them, she smiled compassionately at the stressed young man.

“Good day, my name is Fredrick, how may I help you two today?” he quickly looked at Solas and then back to her.

“My tall man here needs everything Fredrick. From under to outer, you understand? You see his luggage got lost on the way here.”

Solas covered his laugh as a cough at her comment of lost in travel. However, his heart beat a quicker beat at her choosing the word “ _my_ ” to describe him. He gazed down at the smaller man and watched him visually assess him like a tailor. _Are all humans in this realm so small,_ he couldn’t help but wonder as he watched the tailor walk around him. Thedas' humans were so much larger in stature and musculature. Granted none were as large as Commander Cullen, he was sure that man had been born by Avvar, but many were closer to his size than here. He was not considered tall or large by Thedosian standards, yet here he seemed to stretch anywhere from fifteen to twenty centimeters taller. He pulled his focus back to the present as he listened to the tailor speak.

“It would seem the airlines have been losing increasingly more peoples luggage lately.” Glancing at Solas he motioned for him to follow. “Come with me sir so I may get your measurements and then we will get you set up.”

Solas glanced at Caille and she let his hand go motioning him to follow the clerk. As he turned away she said quickly, “try and find something in a dark grey or blue Solas…they complement your eyes quite nicely.” Solas watched a flush rush across her face at her blatant flirting and bowed slowly to her never letting his eyes leave hers.

“Ma nuvenin ma da’vise.”

Caille felt the flush spread and the flutters in her stomach go crazy at the heated gaze and a barely throaty growl as he spoke. She watched him turn and follow the clerk and suppressed the urge to fan her face from the heat. _Holy Mary mother of God what possessed you to say that…I wonder what he said that time…the last part sounded like what he has been calling me but different. I feel like I am fighting a losing battle with my hormones,_ she thought as she walked to the register where she informed the clerk that everything they purchased would be put on the credit card she currently was handing him. Watching the clerk swipe her card for later processing so she could place it back into her wallet, she began looking around at different items.

 

Solas stood in the middle of a small room surrounded by mirrors, while the tailor brought in many different outfits and he was a bit overwhelmed by the amounts of clothing. He was unaccustomed to so many different choices in clothing anymore. Armor, clothes to wear when sleeping, clothes to wear when traveling and then clothes to wear for a more formal function. The little man brought underclothes like he had never seen and asked him to pick the kind he liked. The gentleman agreed with his choice as he pointed to the set with a longer leg piece…boxer briefs he had called them. Choosing his colors for shirts and sweaters was easy. Even though she had told him what she preferred, she had also unknowingly chosen colors he preferred as well. Pointing to the blue, black, dark grey and he found a green that resembled Caille’s eyes and chose that one as well. The man made sure he also had a few pairs of jeans and a couple of dress pants, he called them. Solas rubbed the bridge of his nose at an oncoming headache and breathed a small sigh of relief when the young man brought him three pairs of shoes to try. He detested shoes yet it would seem that wearing braan were out of the question. He stood finally and looked at everything then pinched his nose again. _This is too much._ When he started to say as much, the young man shook his head and smiled.

“Miss McClellan has already paid for everything and has requested we pack up enough for a couple of days and deliver everything else after tomorrow.”

Solas walked from the young man and found his quarry standing off to the side looking at some bauble while holding a couple of bags. Turning to smile at him when he approached made his heart skip and anything he was going to say left him. He had never found himself without words before until this moment and he found it very disturbing. She knew he was going to refuse her for the many things she had purchased for him and spoke before he could.

“Let’s go cara, we still need to go to the grocery store before we go home.”

Solas stood completely mesmerized by her emerald gaze. In all his long years he had never experienced such a confusing, yet an exhilarating set of feelings until he had met her. Bending forward, he enjoyed the dilation of her pupils, the quick intake of her breath at the simple grazing of his hands with hers as he took the bags from her hands and spoke softly as he moved away.

“Ma nuvenin Caille.”

Caille released the breath she had been holding and led him from the shop completely flustered. As they passed by many other shops, she watched Solas recognize something and she stopped.

“What is it you see Solas?”

He gazed at a shop that sold tooled leather or so they boasted yet as he got closer he shook his head.

“It is not as I thought. The craftsmanship is not horrible but it is no better than a novice.”

She looked at the leather and imagined him in some form of leather and felt her mouth start to drool. Clearing her throat, she suddenly had to know.

“You can do better I suppose.”

Solas snorted and then gazed at her confidently.

“Of course ma da’vise, I have much experience in making my own gear and repairing it. One who has lived as long as I, learn many things.”

_Well, that was settled_ she thought… _I need to find some leather._ Caille watched him for a moment as he looked through the window and absently chewed on her lower lip before she let her curiosity take her.

“Solas…umm…how long have you been alive exactly?”

Solas smiled at her with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes and a roguish slant to his lips as he answered her.

“Thirty-seven hundred years, Caille.”

She felt her eyes almost pop out of her head as she looked at him and let her eyes trail from his dark grey eyes to the high cheekbones, the noble line of his nose, full lips and strong chin to his thicker neck, strong wide shoulders over a sculpted chest, narrowed hips to full athletic thighs. Almost four millennia? Realizing she had just looked at him like he was the center of a tootsie pop she planned to find and pulled her gaze back to his and saw a raw primal heat staring back at her.

“Well…umm…damn,” she sputtered out and wanted to smack herself. _That was really freaking articulate, you sounded like a daft tit!_ Realizing there wasn’t anything she could say that wouldn’t be incriminating and turned to head out the doors of the shopping center, hearing his soft masculine laughter following behind her.

 

Solas followed her through the market absently replaying their conversation outside the leather shop. The way she had assessed him had frozen him to the spot as quick as mage ice, and when her eyes had returned to his still assessing him had sent his blood aflame. Eyes scanning the shelves he pulled himself back into focus as he watched her pick up things and either put them in a basket or put them back on a shelf. The sheer volume of things was astounding to him. The only part of this whole place that seemed close to normal to him was the amount of fruit and vegetables. The difference was the way the produce looked in comparison to what he would normally see. She stopped at the meat department and asked the young boy behind the counter for a few things then he watched her chew on her lower lip. _She does that when she is thinking,_ he noticed.

Caille walked from the meat department and headed to the wine section knowing Clara who worked the section.  When she saw the young woman, she smiled wanly and watched her rush to her kissing her on the cheek.

“I was saddened at the news Cailleach, we will all be there for you tomorrow.”

Caille nodded, “Thank you, Clara, I know Nanna would have appreciated the outpouring of love.”

Solas assessed the young woman as taller than Caille yet her aura was pleasant, soothing even. Turning from her, he perused some of the bottles on the shelf. Caille could see Clara's interest in Solas and felt the urge to tell her to back off… _Oye…where did that come from girly…he is not yours…_ with a sigh of annoyance with herself, her mind whispered troublingly _not yet anyway,_ Ugh.

“Clara this is Solas…cara this is Clara.”

Solas turned his attention back to them and tilted his head to the young woman slightly.

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance lady Clara.”

Caille watched as her friend blushed and wanted to slap her.

“Clara, we stopped by to grab a couple of bottles for us to try when we are having dinner.”

Clara pulled her gaze from the mouth-watering specimen of a man and realized that Caille was into him. Solas slid his gaze to Caille not missing the change in tone, posture or her use of we and us. Smiling slightly, he slid his hand to her back and felt her instantly relax. Clara did not miss the interaction and smiled happily at her childhood friend.

“There are a few here that I know you are going to like is there anything specific you might wanna try as well?”

Caille trusted Clara’s judgment when it came to wine but she did want Solas to give some input. Looking up at him she smiled and his world flipped. _The damnable woman is tying me in knots,_ he thought as he raised an eyebrow at her quizzically.

“What type of wine do you prefer cara? Trust me…if you can express it correctly Clara can find it.”

Solas gave a small chuckle and gazed deeply into her bottomless green depths as he described what he wanted.

“It should taste of pure fire…exciting…on the edge of out of control. Taste like that moment when nothing is hidden to your lover. It should caress your tongue as when they are completely themselves…utterly naked, not keeping their deepest secrets hidden, an irresistible enchantment…a tantalization of tastes like a mystery that can hold their lover in a thrall. That is how I like my wine.”

Caille felt breathless like she had run a marathon and the blush that spread as his words conjured images of their own as he had spoken to her. She couldn’t seem to stop staring at him. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Clara fanning her face, blushing deeply as she looked between the two of them.

  
“Aye…I want that bottle too,” she said looking at her friend.

Both women started to laugh as Clara walked away still fanning her face as she went for the bottle she thought he would enjoy. Solas enjoyed watching how her desire developed across her skin. He found it quite pleasant to see that she was no more immune to him then he seemed to be towards her. They both pulled their gazes away and looked at Clara as she rounded the corner with seven bottles of wine. She handed two to Solas and winked at him.

“These two would come the closest to sex that I have ever found in a liquid form,” she explained.

Solas chuckled as he placed the two bottles into the basket and watched her hand the other four to Caille with another wink.

“These are considered foreplay my friend…enjoy.”

Caille was sure she was blushing from the tips of her ears to the tips of her toes and hearing Solas’s sultry chuckle with his hand on the small of her back only intensified the warmth that had started earlier as he explained how a wine should taste.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ma nuvenin ma da’vise - as you wish my little flame  
> braan - elvhen shoes  
> Cara - friend


	6. Dinner Conversation

Solas slid from the Jeep and rounded the front to open her door. He smiled with pleasure seeing that she was waiting for him instead of doing it for herself. When she opened the back of the Jeep they pulled bags out and walked towards the door. Caille could feel a sudden chill as she approached the door and turned to look at Solas who had a smirk on his face.

“Let me get that for you,” he said with a slightly smug tone.

She watched him put a couple of bags down and move his hand in a pattern and she felt the cold feeling disappear. Curious as she watched him gather the bags back up and open the door for her, she walked directly to the kitchen to place the bags down. Turning toward him, she waited for him to place the other bags down.

“I know you said you put a ward up to keep others out, but I got to know what would have happened had someone actually tried.”

He laughed and pulled out the many bottles of wine to place them on the table.

“We would have come back to a frozen person on the doorstep,” he said plainly.

She stared at him for a long moment, then started pulling out vegetables from the bag glancing curiously at him biting her lower lip nervously. Solas could see she wanted to ask something but was trying to refrain. The show was… _breathtaking_ his mind sighed.

“What is on your curious mind da’avise?” he inquired curiously as he pulled out the bag of apples.

Caille looked at him nervously and then answered in a rush.

“Would you show me something Solas?”

He smiled at her then placing the bag of apples on the table, he nodded his agreement as he walked towards her slowly. Caille feeling a bundle of nerves yet excited at the same time, realizing that after her day something fun would be nice. He stood in front of her holding his hand out to her silently asking for one of her own hands. She slid her smaller hand into his and watched him cup his hand over hers. She felt a rush of tingles not unlike the feeling of when your foot first goes to sleep before it starts to hurt. When he removed her hand, she held a small enchanted snow globe. She stared at it in awe as she ran her finger over the delicateness of it realizing that it wasn’t glass containing the falling snow inside but smooth, clear ice that encased the never-ending snowfall. She glanced up seeing his face was close enough to her own that it would take no effort to just lean up and place her lips on his. Giving herself a mental shake, she quickly glanced back at the globe in her hand and whispered afraid he would hear the desire in her voice if she spoke too loudly.

“Will it melt? How long will this last?”

_Forever_ he wanted to answer, but his selfishness had never done him any favors, his past reflected that glaringly. Clearing his throat, he answered her.

“Until I release the enchantment, and no it will not melt.”

As she smiled up at him desire shot through him like lightning. _Bloody hell,_ he thought, clearing his throat again, he moved away from her taking a small step back. Caille stared at the small little wonder then glancing at him in amazement. She realized he hadn’t changed his ears back yet and pointed to them as she slid the small globe into her pocket so she could look at it later and started to gather the ingredients for dinner hoping he wouldn’t see the blush still rushing over her neck and face.

“You haven’t removed the enchantment to your ears yet Solas. We’re home now so you can remove it and relax.”

Solas stared at her back as he moved his fingers removing the spell, wondering what was causing her face to flush like that as he went back to the table to remove the rest of their purchases from the bags. He grabbed the clothing bags and took them to his room upstairs still trying to figure out what had caused the blush or better question would be his own sudden desire for her. _You are out of your element old wolf, she is not for you,_ he chastised himself. _When has that ever stopped me…_ he contemplated with himself. _What if I am unable to ever get back to Thedas, would she still be out of my element then?_ He questioned himself as he removed the clothing from the bags. Shaking his head, he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration with himself. _There is no point in this conversation wolf, study it later._ Turning away from the bed, he went through the door and padded silently down the steps to the kitchen to lean against the door jam. He watched her moving around the room humming as she cooked over the stove and felt his breath catch as she slipped an errant lock of hair behind her ear. She stood at the stove with bare feet and moved gracefully to cut vegetables with precision on the board and he felt an interest blossom with her graceful moves as he listened to her continue to hum gently to herself. Moving from the door, he strode silently towards her and grabbed a potato and a knife from the counter to cut it for her.

Caille glanced at him somewhat startled at his silent movement and then shrugged realizing he moved like she did without any sound. Smiling up at him as she browned the meat with some onions and pointed at a bottle of wine Clara had dubbed “foreplay” with a silent question. Solas smiled and moved to the bottle to open it for them as he watched her pull glasses from a cabinet and hand them to him. Caille watched as he used magic to remove the cork from the bottle and then breathe in the scent. When he sent magic into the bottle to chill it she had to keep her mouth from dropping open at the apparent frost on the bottle. She pushed the meat around in the skillet and from the corner of her eye she watched as he poured them two glasses and hold one out to her. Taking it with a smile, she also breathed in the bouquet and appreciated the rich scent. Taking a sip of the chilled red she enjoyed the splash of flavors on her tongue as her eyes closed with the enjoyment.

Solas watched her face as she took her first sip of the chilled red and could see her pleasure as her cheeks reddened with her liking. When her eyes opened, she smiled so openly towards him that he felt his heart stop and had to hold the counter for balance. _If I ever do leave here, I will never be able to forget this woman with eyes as rich as a forest or fathomless as the reflection within a dark emerald,_ he thought to himself with a wave of sadness he did not expect.

“This is really nummy don’t you think,” she spoke solemnly looking at him eagerly.

Solas nodded his agreement with the flavor of the wine and appreciated Clara’s choice but if he was, to be honest with himself, he enjoyed the company more than the wine.

“Yes…your friend is gifted when it comes to picking something someone will like. She would be a sought-after woman in my world.”

Caille looked at him curiously as she set her glass down and returned to stirring the braising meat.

“Would you be willing to tell me about your world Solas?” she questioned with sincere interest inflecting her tone.

Solas glanced at her as he took another sip of his wine and then propped his hip against the counter and watched her cook.

“What would you want to know da’avise?”

She glanced at him as she added more ingredients to their dinner and smiled.

“Simple things like what do you do daily…what is it like…who were you there in the scheme of things?”

Solas listened to her and twirled his glass within his hands thinking about what he could tell her and what he shouldn’t. _Does it really matter if she knows who you are, old wolf? Give her truth, or you will hate yourself later,_ he thought decisively.

“I am known in my world as Fen’Harel… in my language that translates to the Dread Wolf.” He said quietly as he watched for her reaction and seeing she was listening intently and not judging, he continued.

“I was currently trying to release slaves from Tevinter when I was transported here.”

Caille could hear the many holes in his explanation and yet his honesty with it as well. Smiling as she added garlic to their dinner, she spoke gently.

“Were you a king or something more?”

Solas glanced at her sharply then took a drink from his glass trying to avoid her eyes fidgeting with the stem of his glass.

“I am a King to some but I am more known as an Evanuris. You might understand this as it is an undying spirit. Some worshiped me as a God, though I did not and do not appreciate that ideal,” he added quickly.

Caille glanced at him quickly then added more spices to her mixture as she spoke calmly.

“So, in your world, your people consider you an Elvhen God, yes?”

Solas stared into his glass uncomfortably as he answered.

“Yes”

She took a drink of her wine enjoying the plethora of flavors and smiled at him reassuringly.

“This must be a serious downgrade as far as your concerned then.”

Solas placed his glass on the counter looking at her.

“I do not enjoy that part of me. I…would rather I wasn’t what I am. I am sorry,” he spoke as he looked away suddenly picking his glass back up withdrawn.

Caille watched him as he tried to turtle himself from rejection and moved to lay a hand on his arm smiling at him.

“Solas…you’re not…” waving her hands in the air, “where you are from. I do not care if you are some Elvhen God or just plain ol’Solas. Relax, you are safe here and enjoying awesome wine and soon to be enjoying awesome food in about an hour.”

Solas smiled at her gratefully as he held his glass watching her passionate statement. _If only she knew,_ he thought to himself. Shaking himself out of his own scary explanations he focused on her for a moment.

“You were in the military for your king?” He asked quickly to remove himself from the conversation.

When he saw her turn quickly away from him with a haunted expression, he regretted instantly choosing this avenue of conversation.

“Yes…I was in the Special Forces but we don’t have a king…well not anymore.”

Snorting with her own realization that he probably didn’t understand what that meant she pushed her concoction into the pressure cooker as she spoke quietly.

“I belonged to a group of highly trained men and women who did missions that were questionable for other teams. My job was as a sniper…meaning I am proficient with many different types of weapons that can shoot at great distances…allowing me to take out a target from a great distance.”

Solas watched as her body language took a different stance and her speech took a more regimented tone. He had experienced this with Cullen when he had helped him with his headaches. Topping her glass off as he did his own and moved towards the table where they had enjoyed breakfast speaking gently as he watched her follow him.

“What do you call a great distance?” he asked curiously.

Caille smiled as she carried her glass with her to the table.

“I can shoot from a mile away. I am unsure of your measurements where you are from…” she said quietly as Solas watched her carefully.

“I use what we call centimeters.”

Caille looked at him happily at having something in common and spoke quickly.

“Oh, then I can hit a target at one hundred sixty thousand nine hundred and thirty-four centimeters away,” she said as she took a drink of her wine and watched Solas stare at her incredulously.

“With what?”

“A weapon you do not have in your time,” she said sadly if not distractedly.

Solas could see her face as it changed and he reached to grasp her free hand and squeeze with understanding.

“We all do many things we wish we didn’t have to in times of war.”

Caille looked at him and then shook her head in disgust.

“Some wars should never happen cara…what I did…didn’t need to happen,” She stated quietly.

Solas watched her face change to a torn face of a warrior. Unsure of how to give comfort he asked her about the pictures in his room.

“The many pictures in my room show you and many others.”

Caille laughed and took a drink of her wine dropping the heavy of the first conversation.

“Ah…graduation and then Iraq and Afghanistan with the American troops. Yes, my Nanna loved the pictures of me with my platoon.”

Solas smiled and then thought back to his own self-drawn portraits of the many companions of the Inquisition within his books.

“Comradery is important when you are fighting,” he said plainly, and Caille agreed.

“We were a tight unit. We survived things that most thought could not be survived. I guess you become a kind of family when you shed blood together.”

Solas nodded his head in agreement, hearing the truth to her words as he had also witnessed in his time when he thought about it, taking a sip of his wine. Caille watched him pull into his own thoughts and studied his solid jawline and the small little crinkles around his eyes when he smiled. The color of his eyes as they would go from a blue to a mysterious smoky grey-blue as he shared his emotions, joked, flirted or the color of slate when he was angry. The way his hair would lay against his face framing and bringing into focus the strong, narrow structure or draw the eye to the rich mahogany tones as it lay over his shoulders and partially down his back. The way his ears would twitch when he was curious about something. Withdrawing her gaze, she took another sip of her wine before walking to the stove to stir the stew she was making. _What an interesting man_ she thought as she stirred and then replaced the lid. Pulling the small globe from her pocket, she gazed into the internal snowstorm and gently ran her fingertip over its smooth circumference.

 

She enjoyed watching him eat and after he had put away two bowls she blushed while he complimented her.

“I do not believe I have ever eaten anything that good before Caille. You are a remarkable woman in the kitchen.”

With dinner complete, and the kitchen cleaned up they walked into the living room. Caille went to the fire to stack some peat inside and prepare a fire. Solas set his glass down and walked to where she knelt and placed some kind of grassy wood within.

“Let me da’avise,” he said as he knelt down.

Caille felt his shoulder next to her and stood up to allow him room. Pulling the matches from the mantle she held them out to him and could see the questioning look on his face as he looked at the wooden sticks and then to her.

“They are called matches, we use them for starting a fire.”

Solas smiled finally understanding why she held them and then held his hand out and Caille watched a small ball of flame materialize and felt silly.

“Well yeah…right. You don’t need these silly sticks like us lowly humans who can’t just make a fireball,” she said with a cheeky grin on her face.

Solas laughed as he rolled the ball of flame under the kindling. Dusting his hands, he stood up smiling at her joke and studied a small painting hanging over the mantle. Caille observed him looking at the small painting that her nanna had done years ago that depicted a deep cover of a forest with a small pack of wolves moving through the silent sentinel of trees in the cover of shadows.

“My grandmother painted it a long time ago,” she said softly with a mixture of pride and loss swirling within her tone.

“She was a very talented woman,” he said appreciatively of the beautiful brush strokes and the amazing detail even on the fur of the wolves or the individual blades of grass she had painted.

He glanced over at Caille as she stood staring at the small painting. Reaching over he gently used his thumb to wipe the escaped tear from her cheek. _She is so beautiful,_ his mind mentally sighed as her watery gaze met his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> da'avise - little flame


	7. Moving Forward

Caille laid on her side in the pre-dawn staring at the small frozen globe on her nightstand. Something about the endlessly falling snow within the small orb was soothing, if not a bit mesmerizing she thought. _As captivating and calming as the man who created it,_ she thought. With a sigh, she reached out and slid her finger over the small orb appreciating the smoothness of the surface. She wondered what he would be like in his own element. He obviously exuded power and had a very commanding presence. She recalled his uneasiness when he spoke of his home and how quickly she had dropped the subject not wanting pressure him. She knew he would talk about if, and when he was ready. _I wonder if all the elvhen Gods are as fucking beautiful as him...because…that is just not fair. That man makes my hormones go crazy._ With a snort at herself, she rubbed her eyes at the reality of her situation.  Lying in the room down the hall was an ancient _hot_ elf, Nanna would be proud. With a slight laugh at herself, she slid from the comfort of her bed and decided to go for a run before she began what she was sure to be an emotionally long, draining day.

Solas could feel her energy humming as she passed by his door and felt a smile form on his lips. _She is an intriguing human,_ he thought as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He thought about his experiences from yesterday and realized this world with all its advances was still barbaric in comparison to his own. Sliding from the bed when he heard the back door close, he glanced out of the window to see her take off running. He enjoyed the view of her legs encased in tight cloth displaying the shape and definition of the muscles as they carried her forward with a practiced ease. Sighing, he rubbed his eyes as she crested a hill and went from his line of sight at a hard pace. _You are drawn to her like a moth to flame old wolf._ He turned from the window and chose to sit in meditation to calm his thoughts before bathing.

Caille returned after a good hard five-mile run, _just what I needed,_ she thought as she slipped through the back door grabbing the hand towel from where she had placed it earlier on the counter. Pulling her sweater off, she rubbed the sweat from her neck as she sprinted up the stairs pulling on her sweaty t-shirt. Wiping the sweat from her face as she opened the bathroom door without a thought to the possibility that it could already be occupied. _Oh, silly girl,_ she realized to her total humiliation as she saw Solas stood in the middle of the room securing a towel around his waist.

“Oh, Mary and Joseph, I am so sorry Solas,” she yelped as she slapped the towel over her eyes trying desperately to evaporate into the floor and push away the vision of dark wet hair plastered over strong looking wide shoulders and a well-formed chest that led to a handsomely sculpted stomach and narrow hips. _A very hot… you daft git, what the bloody hell are you doing?_

Solas observed the color of her embarrassment as it rushed across her neck and face before she had covered herself with the small towel. With a quirk of his eyebrow, he smiled wickedly unable to keep himself from teasing her as he walked towards her slowly embracing his inner predator.

“If your wish was to see me undressed ma da’avise, you had only to ask,” he said softly.

Caille felt her face grow even hotter as the goosebumps formed on her arms with his smoothly spoken accented words. Shaking her head at her own stupidity, she groaned and began slowly walking backward trying to leave and give him privacy.

“I…uh…I should have knocked. I’ll just be…um…yeah…leaving now,” she spoke rapidly hoping she could just wish this moment away as her brain screamed _run!_ She suddenly felt his very warm hand on her arm stopping her. The simple touch sent a jolt of awareness straight through her. _Hormones Caille…too many hormones,_ she chastised herself as the first threads of desire curled through her system.

“There is no need, I have just finished. After your run, I am sure you want to clean up,” he said into her ear and she heard him take a deep inhaled breath sensing his nose was close to her neck.

She felt his warm breath as he exhaled dance across her skin and she barely suppressed a physical shiver. The desire coiled deeper within her with just the sound of his voice and breath barely touching her skin. Unable to form coherent speech, she nodded her head and felt the heat of him as he proceeded to walk around her still frozen form. _I will never be able to forget seeing him in nothing but a towel,_ she thought when her brain gave a snarky reply _you wouldn’t want to anyway who are you kidding?_ Stepping into the room, she slipped the door shut and leaned back against it throwing the hand towel into the small corner hamper. Pushing off, she peeled the shirt over her head, _o_ _h well, it happened. Pull yourself together and get cleaned up. He didn’t seem to find it too invasive so don’t make a big deal out of it._

Solas padded softly to his room with a sly smile on his lips as his mind replayed the scene and enjoyed the moment. The way those forest green eyes had widened in shock. Her mouth forming that little “o” in surprise as her skin reddened with her embarrassment. The slight fragrance of desire that had slowly mingled with her scent teasing him to breathe her in. He was glad she had kept her face covered or she would have seen his own embarrassment at her reaction to him. Something about this realm heightened his senses as if he were back in Arlathan before the veil. _That is the difference old wolf…there is no veil here. There is no need to dream in the fade you have not sundered the veil here,_ he realized suddenly. Pulling on what the tailor had called jeans and slipping the soft dark grey sweater over his head he turned towards the mirror to plait his hair and looked at himself closely. _If that is the case then there must be magic here._ Moving his hands over his hair the long strands moved to do his bidding as he enchanted his ears to look human. _My magic is stronger here, curious_ he thought with a bit of surprise.

 

 

_There are so many people,_ he thought to himself as he stood back watching the human burial. He kept himself leaning against the wall of the house and observed Caille as she stood at the graveside accepting embraces from one person after another. He could feel her grief even from this distance and wanted to hold her, protect her from this pain if he could. Giving himself a mental shake, _where is the intense need to protect her coming from? The small woman is quite capable of protecting herself old wolf or don’t you remember how hard she hit you._  As the Chantry brother began to read the rights for the dead, his eyes moved back to study his beautiful host. She stood straight, hands clasped in front of her holding a few sprigs of lavender as she watched the wooden box slowly being lowered into a hole in the ground. He watched her drop the flower into the hole and then grasp a handful of the dirt to gently throw in. He could hear her whispered words from where he stood and though he didn’t understand them, he could hear her feelings within them.

“Abair Hi go seanathair dom. Aireoidh mé uaim thú Nanna,” she said softly wiping a tear away from the side of her face as she turned to slowly walk away from the grave.

He watched as everyone followed Caille’s steps and slipped in flowers and handfuls of dirt as they passed. _This must be a human way of showing their respect for the dead,_ he thought curiously as he watched the last of them finish. Tracing his eyes to where Caille was walking to stare out over the valley, he could see her holding herself tightly against the chilled breeze with her back to the small crowd that was now moving towards their vehicles leaving for the tavern where the party would be held. He glanced at the two men who grabbed shovels and began filling in the ground as he moved from his place against the house to walk to where she stood unable to leave her to suffer alone.

Caille felt him behind her and she spoke softly gazing out over the valley.

“I came to live with my grandparents when I was seven. My parents died in a car accident while on a vacation in Italy.”

Solas stood behind her and listened as she continued, understanding her need to talk.

“I don’t really remember my parents much, just bits and pieces; but my Nanna became my rock, my support…my friend.”

As her voice broke, she felt his arms slide around her offering her his quiet strength. With a heavy sigh, she closed her eyes and turned into his warm hold to cry, releasing the last of her grief.

 

The inside of the tavern was full to overflowing, Solas thought as they squeezed through the throngs of people who were eating and drinking. He kept his hand on the small of her back as they weaved to where there was a reserved spot for them to sit. Everything was in full swing as he listened to one story after another about Moira. He watched Caille laugh at times and cry at others. At one point in the evening, she had grabbed one of his hands from under the table to pull it into her own lap. His awareness of the small woman sitting next to him heightened at the small contact of her thumb absently rubbing his. Pushing his own riotous emotions to the back of his mind to study later, he pushed soothing magic into their entwined fingers. He tried to keep his surprise from showing as she laid her head on his shoulder. He felt her head move to look up at him with her forest green eyes and a small smile lifting her lips, his heart stumbled and his breath caught, _she is unlike anything I have ever known_.

“Thank you for coming with me, Solas,” she whispered with a gentle look of gratitude on her face. He smiled kindly and nodded trying to keep his own thundering heart under control.

As the night progressed more riotous laughter and the more he heard, the more he understood why so many of the small village had come out to celebrate the passing of the woman known as Moira. Many spoke of her gentle nature but strong beliefs. One gentleman talked about when she was young and how she had been such a troublemaker.

“She then looked Thomas McClellan in the eye and told him in her straightforward way that he was not courting her correctly and she wasn’t gonna waste any more time with him. Well, poor Tom was so beside himself with how that girl had turned him inside out, so for the next month, he left flowers on her door with little bits of poetry in hopes to win her back. That Moira was a sly one she was. She let him off the hook after the month saying he could court her again and those two were married a year later. She had called it proper husband training.” Wiping at his eyes with the memory he raised his glass, “I am sure going to miss that woman,” he said before taking a drink. Seeing Caille laugh at the story he now understood why they chose to have such traditions. It was to usher in a new beginning of healing for those still living. A hush fell over the packed room while the tavern owner began to sing.

Oh, all the time that e'er I spent,  
I spent it in good company;  
And any harm that e'er I've done,  
I trust it was to none but me;  
May those I've loved through all the years  
Have memories now they'll e'er recall;  
So fill me to the parting glass,  
Goodnight and joy be with you all.

Oh, all the comrades that e'er I had,  
Are sorry for my going away;  
And all the loved ones that e'er I had  
Would wish me one more day to stay.  
But since it falls unto my lot  
That I should leave and you should not,  
I'll gently rise and I'll softly call  
Goodnight and joy be with you all.

Of all good times that e'er we shared,  
I leave to you fond memory;  
And for all the friendship that e'er we had  
I ask you to remember me;  
And when you sit and stories tell,  
I'll be with you and help recall;  
So fill to me the parting glass,  
God bless, and joy be with you all.

As she brought the song to an end she raised her glass in a silent toast as everyone did as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ma da’avise - my little flame  
> Abair Hi go seanathair dom. Aireoidh mé uaim thú Nanna - (Gaelic) Say hi to grandfather for me. I will miss you Nanna  
> The Parting Glass - Irish Traditional Folk song usually sang at the closing of the gathering. There is no author named, but it is believed to have been created in 1700’s


	8. New Beginnings

Solas realized that he had been in this realm for two weeks and he still could not get the mirror to answer to his magic regardless if it was stronger here or not. He could feel the magic within the damn thing but he could not open it. Sighing heavily, he found himself overlooking the valley and watched as the storm slowly rolled in. Closing his eyes, he could feel the crackling energy in the air heavy with moisture as he took in a deep breath. _Are you not upset by this old wolf?_ He questioned himself. Opening his eyes and gazing into the oncoming storm, he realized that he wasn’t. He couldn’t stop his mind from turning to the small woman in the house behind him that constantly challenged his mind and set his blood aflame. He could feel her energy even from this distance as she moved around the house behind him.

Looking at the slight mound of dirt where her Grandmother had been buried, he walked to it and read the small stone that sat next to another one he realized was her Grandfather’s. Grá, Gáire, Beo, unsure of what it said he stared at the dirt and realized that Moira Ellen McClellan was a woman worthy of something beautiful and began a small enchant to express what he had learned.

Caille looked out the kitchen window and saw that Solas stood next to the fairy mound and then walked towards the small burial plot of her nanna’s. She opened the door wanting to let him know that dinner was ready. Walking towards him she stopped in astonishment as she watched him begin to glow in a soft mint green. She stood enthralled with his internal glow surrounding him, doing his bidding as his lips moved and his hands held out in front of him. Grass thick as if it had been there for years, and flowers grew over what use to be the barren dirt and she felt tears well in her eyes at the sight of beauty he was creating.

Solas finished, enchanting the ground so the flowers would stay bloomed for a long time and allowed the magic to finally recede as he looked up in surprise to see Caille crying quietly a short distance from him. _No…I just wanted to…_ He strode towards her hoping he had not done something to upset her.

“I am sorry…I should have asked you before I…” before he could finish, he felt her small body dive into his middle hugging him tightly with a force that made him take a step back to catch his balance. Wrapping his arms around her in reaction, unsure of what to say, he could barely hear her as her face was buried in his chest as she held on tightly.

“Thank you, mo chara álainn, it is so…” with a sniffle and a tightening of her grip around his waist, “beautiful. How did you know she loved those flowers?”

Solas stared down at the top of her head and his heart flew. _I have pleased her…she is happy with what I have done,_ he thought as he pulled her in tighter trying to push away his joy at having her so close to himself. Clearing his throat of uncertainty and hopefully the desire he was experiencing with her closeness.

“I didn’t know…I just didn’t feel she deserved barren ground,” he said.

Caille nodded feeling her stomach turn to knots and pulled away grabbing his hand holding tightly unwilling to let him go. Staring at the beauty he had created, she finally used her other hand to wipe away the tears and snorted with a small laugh.

“And here I just came out to tell you dinner was ready.”

Solas smiled down at her and placed his hand under her chin so she could look at him.

“I am glad this pleases you ma vh…da’avise,” he changed quickly shocked with himself at what he had almost said. Thankful that she did not know what had just about happened, he let her pull him towards the house. _Why am I wanting to call her vhenan?_ _Do I feel this way?_ He questioned himself as he felt her snuggle into his side as they walked. _Ahh. Yes… this…yes, I believe I do,_ he thought trying to keep his own emotions under control.

Caille led him through the back door and poured a couple glasses of wine before carrying them to the table to set one in front of him. Sitting down, she waited for him to take a bite. After a short time, she realized he was staring at her and she laughed slightly and pointed at his plate.

“Are you not hungry?” she asked curiously. She watched as he nodded earnestly.

“Of course I am, I will not start until you have first,” he said plainly.

Caille realized that at every meal he always sat quietly and waited until she took the first bite and then he was all about the food. Taking a small bite of a potato she watched as he then picked up his fork and dug in. Shaking her head, she cut into the roast she had made and looked at him curiously.

“Is this like your needing to open doors?” she asked with a slight smile to her lips and a touch of laughter in her tone.

Solas looked at her and then placed his knife and fork down. Taking a small sip of his wine he watched as she cut into her meat.

“I assume that by the way, you ask this question, that the men of this time do not realize that their woman should always be allowed the first bite of food before themselves, as they do not also realize that they should open doors for them either.”

Caille blushed at his use of “their” _leave that girly,_ and nodded at him, “yeah, no. Men do not do that here either,” she said as she speared a piece of potato onto her fork. She watched as Solas shook his head in annoyance and took another drink of his wine.

“I am starting to believe the men of this realm are not real men then,” he said it so assuredly that Caille laughed as she also took a sip of her wine.

“So, this is a common practice in your world?” she said easily waiting to see if his shoulders would tighten like they had before or if he would answer.

Solas shrugged his shoulders as he chewed his food completely before answering.

“From the most irrational dwarf to even a brutish human knows how a woman should be treated. Only common thieves and bandits would ignore proper manners when it came to dining with a woman,” he said plainly as he gazed at her over his wine.

Caille watched him closely as he cut his meat and potatoes and making sure he had every vegetable on his fork with a small spear of meat she suddenly realized that he either wasn’t used to eating a lot of red meat, or he didn’t normally at all. _Wait he said something about ram or nug meat…whatever the fuck nug is,_ she placed her fork down. With a sigh, she reached for her wine, _how did I get so content with our impromptu relationship that I didn’t recognize,_ she wondered.

“Solas?” she said quietly and watched as his eyes raised to hers and smiled.

“Do you even like meat?” she asked quickly.

Solas laughed, “yes I do. I am just a light eater is all,” he said it so matter of factly that she stared at him confused, and then he watched as her face lit up and he felt his stomach drop as she burst into a fit of giggles.

“Light eater? Really Solas? Who are you kidding? You are eating like a man who is built with a hollow leg from what I can tell. I am just trying to make sure I don’t cook anything you might not want to eat but would out of politeness.”

Solas smiled realizing she was asking because she cared… _is it really such a surprise that she would care about what you did or didn’t like?_ _Are you any different?_ He questioned himself _no,_ he thought quickly.

“Da’vise, please believe me when I say that if there is something that I don’t want to eat, I won’t.”

Caille watched as his eyes and face express a determined look and she laughed. Holding her hands out in surrender she giggled.

“Okay Solas, I just wanted to make sure that you weren’t eating what I cooked because you didn’t want to offend me. I’m not that fragile cara,” she scoffed as she speared a piece of roast.

Solas laughed and shook his head as he rubbed his nose remembering the first night he had come here.

“You are not that fragile da’vise, I know,” he said as he watched her slide the speared meat into her open mouth and felt a coil of desire tighten within his stomach. _Watching her eat might be the sexiest thing I have ever witnessed,_ he thought as he tried harder to focus on his own meal.

 

 

He lay staring at his ceiling as he tried to remove Caille from his thoughts and found the small woman kept wiggling her way back into them. The way her whole face would light up when she smiled about something, how she would slip an errant lock of hair behind her ear when she would talk. With a heavy sigh, he rubbed his eyes in frustration deciding that he would get up since he would not be able to sleep with her on his mind. Just preparing to throw the blankets back he heard his door open and stared at it in confusion.

“Solas” is all he heard, and instantly his body was tight as he leaned up on his arm and looked at the opened door where Caille stood. _Fen’edhis am I not tortured enough?_

“Caille?” he replied, knowing it wouldn’t be anyone else but at the same time trying to reign in his own composure as he heard her soft exhalation of breath.

“I…” he could hear her hesitation as she took a deep breath. “I can’t sleep…I can’t…” Solas watched as she stood in the doorway looking at him as if she were lost and he moved the covers inviting her and felt his own heart beat quickly as he heard the soft click of the door closing and her soft footsteps as she moved towards him. Reaching the side of the bed she slid in allowing him to lower the covers completely and rolled onto her side curled against him. Laying his hand on his hip to keep himself from touching her any more than he already was and then he heard her frustrated sigh at his self-imposed reserve. Grabbing his hand and wrapping it around her he felt her relax against him. _No, I am obviously not tortured enough_.

“I am sure this is not proper but if you hadn’t figured out…I don’t follow proper. Now hold me Solas, because…” with a rough sound to her voice Solas waited for her to continue. “I really need to feel your calm strength and…I need to just feel you if that’s okay.”

She said it plainly as if it were fact. Closing his eyes and willing his heart to slow down, he pulled her closer within his arms, hearing a soft sigh as her head snuggled into the arm she was laying on and he felt the soft brush of her breath on his skin. _She is going to be the death of me…_ with a silent snort _the Dread Wolf is going to be slain by a small, beautiful, human woman from another realm._

Solas knew the moment she was asleep against him as he felt her steady breaths and slowly followed her with a tightness in his heart that he had never experienced before, _yet you enjoy it don’t you, old wolf?_ With a slight sigh, he laid his head above hers and breathed in the scent of her hair as his mind finally quieted.

 

_Finally, a good night’s sleep,_ Caille thought as she started to stretch when she felt a solid arm holding her in place squeeze her tighter and there was a slight rumble under her cheek with her movements. Forrest green eyes flashed open as she remembered coming to his room. _Oh, my God…I am laying on Solas,_ she realized taking stock of where all her body was now. _Okay…calm the fuck down it’s not like your naked or anything here…is that his hand on my…no don’t think about this. He’s not going to mind that your leg has him pinned, or the fact that your pretty much draped over him like a fucking blanket…_ with a mental shake she started to slowly get off of him and felt his arm tighten again. Turning to look up at him through the veil of all her mussed red hair and saw dark grey eyes staring back and felt her face flush with embarrassment. Moving her hand from its current post on his chest, _a very hard chest…NOT helping yourself here,_ she thought as she reached up and pushed her hair out of her face to see that she was very close to his face.

“Hi,” she said with a shy smile.

Solas gazed at her and the soft flush of embarrassment that colored her face and his mind froze. He moved the arm that he had pillowed beneath his head and ran his finger gently across her cheek. _She is…breathtaking,_ he thought as he gently continued touching her cheek. He couldn’t tear his gaze from her fathomless green eyes he realized as she stared back at him just as intently. _Pull yourself together wolf,_ he admonished himself as he continued to gently caress her cheek. _That would include stop touching her you fool,_ he mentally slapped himself. Reluctantly, he removed his hand and placed it back beneath his head, moving the other that currently held her by her tiny waist where the heat of her skin was now permanently burned into his hand, to behind his head as well where he linked his fingers together to keep them from grabbing her. He took a shuddering intake of breath as he silently begged her to move before he made a complete ass out of himself by losing all self-control.

Caille could see the barely restrained desire in his eyes and found it hypnotic. Her skin tingled where he had touched. _He is…and those lips waiting for me to…no…not supposed to be thinking about that…nope…probably shouldn’t think about that._ Staring at his mouth she realized she was definitely going to think about it. Reaching up she gently caressed his jaw with a single finger and she felt his entire body tighten at the touch. _Could I be doing this wrong? Maybe he doesn’t…_ There was something about the way his eyes watched that made her slowly lean towards him ignoring her own internal voices, and with a small sigh, she placed a gentle kiss on his lips. _They are as soft as I thought they would be,_ she thought before she leaned away to be swept up in his stormy gaze.

_I cannot breathe,_ he thought as she stared at him. He tightened his hold on his pillow to keep from crushing her to him as he watched mesmerized her leaning towards him. He felt her breath gently puff across his face as her lips touched his and his heart stilled. The barest of touches and before he could truly enjoy the feeling of her soft lips upon his, they were gone. _Do not grab her…do…not…_ Solas ignored his own mental voice as his arms slid quickly from behind his head and grasped her face looking deeply within her gaze.

“I…I’m sor…” she stumbled as she felt his lips crush against hers and let a little moan escape.

Solas took full advantage of her in this moment. He would properly kiss her and live inside this memory for the rest of his time if she rejected him. He bit gently on her lower lip and when she gasped with pleasure, he slid his tongue against hers, preying on her senses. He felt her small body slightly climb him as she settled into a more comfortable place and he groaned as he enjoyed how her tongue engaged with his. Her soft mewing noises sent him aflame and new if he was ever going to stop he needed to do it now. Slowly nibbling on her lower lip, he kissed her gently again and then pulled away. Seeing the desire on her face he groaned and kissed her gently again before speaking in a part desperate part longing filled tone against her lips.

“Go before I find myself unable to stop Caille…please.”

She stared at him still drunk on his kiss, _he is fucking awesome at that_ she thought and realized suddenly what he was saying. _Oh…OHHHH…_ she slowly slid off him. Moving from the bed she softly padded to the door and with her hand on the door knob she turned and looked back at him to see him gripping the bed tightly. Opening the door, she slipped out and left him as he had requested.

Solas watched until the door closed and clenched his eyes closed as he took a hopefully calming breath removing his hands from the folds of the bed. Opening his eyes slowly he glanced down his body and felt his jaw tighten at his own erection. Slamming his head back into his pillow he stared up at the ceiling as he thought of anything that would make that go away besides himself or the woman down the hall. _Kittens, dirty linens, uncomfortable ground, Varric and his bloody chest hair…_ sighing when he knew it wasn’t working he slipped from the bed and covered his body in ice to cool his blood as a last ditch effort. Shivering in the middle of his room he looked down and saw that hadn’t worked either. _Fen’edhis…Etuna…Venavis!_  he mentally muttered as he took himself in hand to finish what he had foolishly started.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Grá, Gáire, Beo - Love, Laugh, Live  
> ma da'avise - my little flame  
> vhenan - my heart  
> Da'vise - little flame  
> cara - (Gaelic) friend  
> Fen'edhis...Etuna...Venavis - wolf dick, shit, fuck it  
> mo chara álainn - my beautiful friend


	9. Feelings

Caille stood in the middle of her room touching her lips still in a small daze. _I kissed him…well not entirely, he kissed me…and it was…fucking brilliant,_ she thought as she lightly touched her lips remembering the way he had devoured her just with his mouth, and damned if she wasn’t turned on. _Danger,_ her mind warned. The haze of desire began to clear as reality asserted itself and there was a definite danger. _He could go back, and then where would you be? Heartbroken is where you would be, you really want to do that to yourself?_ She softly walked to the side of her bed and sat down taking the small sphere from her bedside table and stared into the falling snow. _Maybe?_

Placing the small orb back on the side table, she went to her dresser and pulled out some workout clothing. _Today I will run, and take some of my sexual frustration out on the punching bag, and training dummy. Nothing like beating the shit out of something to clear your mind,_ she thought as she slid the running pants on.

Solas watched her from his window take off at a fast run and when he could no longer see her he grabbed some clothes and headed for the shower. He may have finished what he had so foolishly started, but his blood still boiled with his need for her. Standing under the hot spray of water his mind replayed the scene. Placing his hands on the walls of the shower as the water beat down on his back, he growled in frustration. _Fen’edhis you fool. Stop thinking about her or you will be in a state of continuous arousal,_ he mentally reproached himself. Known as the lone wolf amongst his peers, who all had mated or had paramours he had not. He was singularly focused and preferred his own company. Of course, he had involvements here and there when the mood struck, but nothing had ever spellbound his attention as it was now.

Pushing from the wall, he started washing himself, studying the almost uncontrollable emotions scorching through him. _I want her for more than just a dalliance,_ he realized suddenly as he felt deep within his soul a burning _need_ for her. He could almost hear Mythal laughing at him now as he finally comprehended what he was doing - _she is my sal'shiral;_  his mind gave quickly with a sharp intake of breath. _No, no, no, I cannot do that to her,_ he thought as he hung his head as understanding rushed over him, all the pieces to the puzzle finally fit and clicked together. His heart slammed into his chest as he comprehended his situation. _There is no going back, not without her_ …he would never be able to survive the separation… _nor would she,_ he thought angrily to himself. _Of all the times for you to lose your heart old wolf, you sure know how to completely cock things up royally._

 

AC/DC blaring out of the speakers, Caille slammed her elbow into the punching bag, light on her feet, she twisted quickly with a fast-outward kick. Small movements from one foot to another like a boxer, she kept her guard up as she delivered a series of brutal jabs into an imaginary throat. She was in her own world as she visualized her next series of attacks on her faceless opponent. With a solid punch into the bag, she dove into a tight roll to the left coming behind the bag where she grabbed the sides and using the momentum of the swinging bag, she slammed her knee into it brutally. She did not see him leaning against the door frame watching her intently as she continued with her workout, focused solely on removing her frustration.

He had come out here thinking he would do some painting to get his thoughts in order, but when he heard the loud music from the back of the barn from outside, he became curious. He knew that she would sometimes exercise back here, especially when the weather was foul, but he had never seen her do this before. He viewed her body as it moved with a fluidity that stated hard work and practice. He was captivated with her skill as she punished the bag. He was glad that she hadn’t noticed him there yet because he knew she would stop. It gave him insight into his chosen mate and he found her fascinating. While she stood with her back to him she walked to the side wall grabbing the twin blades from their place on the wall. He was also very glad that he had chosen to stand here because the view of her backside to him as she strolled to the padded wooden human was enticing.

He leaned against the door frame with curiosity as she moved with practiced ease wielding the blades. Slicing, piercing, and her perpetual rapid movement was mesmerizing. _She moves with the speed of Cole,_ he thought, hearing her blades sing with her fast movements. He realized she was hitting every major artery in a body and doing it very efficiently. With a wolfish smile, his eyes followed the flow of her form as it lithely moved into a beautiful dance that had only one outcome and it was deadly. M _y bond mate is not just beautiful but very lethal,_ he realized as the constant boil of desire set his blood to a high simmer.

Finished with her routine she moved to put the blades back on the wall and caught Solas leaning in the doorway watching her. Twirling the blades a few times before placing the blades on the wall she turned towards him as she began unwrapping one of her hands. _He is always watching me like he is hungry,_ she realized as she felt a shiver of excitement run along her spine. She raised her eyebrow at him questioningly.

“Don’t you train in your world Solas?” she questioned easily as she threw the wrap into her bag and start on the other one.

“Yes, not unlike what you did here, it is just…different.” _She is quite literally unraveling me as efficiently as those sodding wraps on her hands,_ he realized as she gazed at him curiously.

“How so?” _Why does he have to be so bloody handsome,_ she thought as she threw the other wrap into her bag. Grabbing a towel, she began drying her face as she waited for his answer.

“They do not move as you do ma da’avise. Your complete focus, the deadly accuracy of your blades or punches. Your movements reflect no wasted energy and there is a suppleness to the way you move. People of my time are not as flexible as you are.”

_I do believe girly you have his complete, and undivided attention,_ she joked with herself laying the towel around her neck as she looked up at him crossing her arms.

“So, you're saying you like the way I move then,” she said with a teasing tone.

Solas leaned away from the door and stepped towards her grabbing the ends of the towel to pull her closer to him. Gazing intently into her eyes he bent his head towards her enjoying the dilation of her pupils, the blush as it flashed across her cheeks.

“Yes, without question,” he stated plainly as his mouth moved over hers with gentle pressure.

_Oh, bollocks he feels good,_ her mind sighed as she enjoyed the way his lips caressed hers. He drank from her mouth with slow lazy sips as if he had all day to just kiss her, and her body burned. Slowly he lifted his mouth from hers, studying her face and seeing that her eyes were still closed and her lips slightly parted. As she slowly opened her eyes to gaze at him, he could see the desire reflected back at him. _Good,_ he thought as he let go of the ends of the towel and took a step away from her. _She changes everything for me,_ he realized as he watched the slight flush touch her ears as she chewed on her lip making him want to groan.

“Well…good then. I’m going to just…yeah…” she mumbled as she took steps around him towards the house. Solas watched her retreat with a wolfish smile on his face. _Emma, ma vhenan,_  he thought as her soft steps took her away from him and he enjoyed the view of her slight swaying of hips.

 

Caille stood beneath the spray of the shower and racked her brain. _Oh, sweet Jesus what the hell am I supposed to do with a bloody hot Elvhen man?_ She wondered as she bent to wash her toes. _Whatever you do, the man is turning you inside out, this can’t be good for your heart,_ she cautioned herself as she rinsed her feet. _Ughh, emotions…hormones…all I want to do is jump him like some crazed monkey in a zoo,_ she realized with a snort of annoyance. Washing her hair, she thought about the kisses they had shared and realized he was always so controlled. _Do I dare push him past it?_  She wondered as she rinsed her hair and turned the water off. _I bet that is not a good idea…but the dangerous part of him is just so…sexy._ Stepping from the shower, she dried herself quickly and realized in her confounded state when she had left the barn she had walked in here without grabbing a change of clothing. _Of course, he was kissing you to this state…although I did like it…oh shut it you,_ she grumbled at herself.

_Sodd it!_ She cursed as she wrapped the towel around herself and opened the door as Solas was coming up the stairs. Staring at him and he at her they stood frozen as she flushed scarlet. Solas could not find the propriety to look away and then smiled wolfishly as he enjoyed the view of her bare legs. The soft line that ran from her neck to her shoulder, and the way her wet hair laid over her other shoulder he couldn’t suppress the sudden shiver of desire that coiled low in him.

“Again, ma vhenan you only had to ask,” he said with a grin on his face as he held the banister to the stairs tightly trying to not grab her. _You just acknowledged your feelings old wolf,_ he realized how right the words felt as they had rolled off his tongue unthinkingly.

Caille stood for a moment feeling embarrassed and then squaring her shoulders, with her face crimson and deciding to take that chance, after all, she sauntered up to him. Placing her hand on his chest deciding to play his game and reveled in the feeling of his muscles tightening beneath her fingertips. _How long can you keep hold of your solid control Solas?_ She thought as she gazed up at him beguilingly.

“I will keep that in mind mo fhear,” she said with a soft growl sending shivers up his back and his blood to a raging boil, as she slid her hand from his chest allowing it to trace to his stomach before she turned and walked towards her room with a pronounced exaggeration of her hips.

Solas watched as she walked away and still could not gather his breath. _Fen’edhis, she is killing me…slowly,_ he scorned himself as he watched her barely covered form close the door. Shaking his head to clear his mind, he stared at the door for a moment contemplating walking through it and yanking the small cloth from her body, and with a deep calming breath, he then turned to his own chambers. _This is a game you will not win vhenan, I promise,_ he said silently to himself as he shut the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fen'edhis - wolf penis  
> sal'shiral - life mate  
> ma da'avise - my flame  
> Emma, ma vhenan - Mine, my heart  
> ma vhenan - my heart  
> mo fhear - (Gaelic) my man


	10. Fear

Lying in bed she stared at her ceiling and questioned everything as she unconsciously rubbed the snow orb. H _e wants me,_ she realized. _This could be…interesting,_ she thought as she recalled the feel of him beneath her hands, or the moment his lips would press against hers, and then there was the way he used his tongue, she recalled before slapping her hand against her head, _yeah…not good for you to think about right this second,_ she scorned herself realizing the imminent danger he was posing to herself. _You want him and you lie here trying to make some sort of sense out of it at three in the morning. He wants you and you want him…_ With a small snort of understanding with herself, she crossed her arms decisively. _Yeah…well…shite…I want him,_ she finally admitted to herself staring at the ceiling plaster.  The soft knock on her door threw her for a moment as she looked at her clock seeing it was three thirty in the morning. Calling out nervously, “yes?”

Solas walked through the door and left it open as he strode assuredly to where she lay. _Oh, bloody hell,_ she thought as she felt the flush of desire curl in her stomach as he crossed her room in low riding pajama bottoms, his hair lying free over his shoulders accentuating that he was shirtless _and gorgeous,_ her mind screamed as he knelt next to her. Stunned and unable to catch her breath from the heat that radiated from him as he spoke.

“Your feelings are beating at me from across the house vhenan, please, let me help you sleep,” he said gently as he watched her attentively. _More like your needs are beating at me and I cannot endure it any longer this evening,_ he quietly thought to himself.

Swallowing past the sudden nervous ball in her throat she croaked, “how are you gonna do that?”

Solas smiled gently and held his hand out to her seeing her nervousness, he waited. When she placed her small hand in his, he pulled her from the bed and led her back to his own, tucking her in next to himself, he wrapped his arms around her. Closing his eyes enjoying the feel of her next to him. With a slight sigh, he knew he needed this as much as she did after the past four hours of enduring her uncontained emotions battering him about.

Caille was unsure of what he had planned, but when his arms had wrapped around her, she felt the anxiety instantly melt away and relaxed. Curling into his side comfortably, she rested her hand on his warm chest just over his heart. Breathing deeply, she loved the way he smelled as she felt his fingers run through her hair, massaging her scalp gently lulling her into a sleepy state of calm.

“Mmm, that feels nice,” she mumbled tiredly into his chest as she snuggled into him further enjoying the feel of his skin against her cheek.  _M_ _mm, and you feel nice too,_ she thought listening to his heart beat a steady rhythm beneath her cheek.

His skin was on fire everywhere she touched. Breathing evenly, he knew every piece of him needed to take care of her. This current maelstrom of emotions she was experiencing was driving him quietly insane. Willing himself to just bring her comfort and ignore his own desire to make love to the small woman all night he mumbled, “Mmhmm, sleep Caille.”

 

 

Caille smiled and stretched lazily, _he is really good at cuddling,_ she thought as she reached her hand out and feeling nothing but the empty bed beside her. _Where is he,_ she thought with a slight frown as her eyes opened to look around the room sleepily. Flashing eyes snapped open completely as adrenaline pumped wildly through her bloodstream when she realized she was alone.  _N_ _o…nooooo,_ her mind screamed as her eyes went to the chair and felt her heart slow down a bit as she saw his armor and staff still there. _He wouldn’t leave without those…would he? Not if he didn’t know he was leaving,_ she thought as she threw the covers from herself and hit the floor running.

Tearing the door open she ran down the hall and saw the bathroom door open, her bedroom door was still open. Skidding to change her direction, she ran down the stairs, fear gripped her tightly as she felt a tightening in the vicinity of her heart. _He can’t be…he…I didn’t…_ feeling the tears gather she skid to a sudden halt in the kitchen doorway. Holding her hand tightly over her heart feeling the devastating squeeze from earlier start to relax as she watched him slowly turn at the sudden noise holding a bowl and mixing spoon. Seeing the distress on her face, he set the bowl on the counter as he spoke.

“What is wrong?” he asked as he took steps towards her stopping in front of her and holding her shoulders.

Caille stood frozen with relief as the realization that he had not left rushed through her. _I am a bloody fool,_ she mentally snapped at herself. _You fell in love with him, and he will one day leave…you are a sodding idiot._

Solas slightly shook her as fear fissured its way through his blood at her stillness.

“Caille?”

Suddenly her eyes moved up to meet his, and he could see the unshed tears, her fear, anger, and relief radiate from the darkened forest of her eyes.

“Vhenan, what is wrong? Speak to me,” he asked pleadingly.

She reached up and caressed his jaw needing to make sure he was real as her fingertips memorized the way his eyes changed when he looked at her.

“What does _vhenan_ mean?”

Solas felt the small flush turn the tips of his ears pink as he spoke quietly.

“It is elven for _my heart,_ ” he said watching her lips tilt up at the corners with understanding.

“Will you tell me now what is wrong?” he asked gently.

“I woke up and you were gone,” she said simply.

“Yes, to make us breakfast,” he said confusion lacing his words.

Caille continued caressing his jaw seeing that he didn’t understand what had scared her so horribly. _Until that moment, I didn’t realize how much you meant to me,_ she thought silently _. What a shite way of finding yourself in love,_ she joked with herself morbidly.

“No, I…I thought you had gone, as in went back to your own world kind of gone.”

He couldn’t stop the thunder of his own heart as it raced with her words. _It had frightened her to think me gone._ He had been afraid to hope that she would feel the same way about him as he did her. If anything, he had planned to court her until she did. He knew she found him attractive, he had thought that he would just have to work on her finding herself in love with him.

“You did not wish me gone then?” he said, and for the first time in his long life, he felt unsure of himself.

She stared at him flabbergasted, and unsure if she should express her feelings for him yet. _No, you don’t girlie, you keep that shite under wraps until you’re sure he feels the same._

“Is that a serious question?” she asked him with such disbelief in her tone. Solas shrugged his wide shoulders and looked quite uncertain of himself. She felt like the light had just switched on in her brain, _maybe he doesn’t want to leave here, or maybe not leave me,_ she realized suddenly daring to hope.

“Do you not want to go back Solas?” she asked him carefully watching him for any change of emotion or body language as she would if she were interrogating someone.

The way she was staring at him, he could barely breathe. _Sal'shiral_  his heart beat as he slid his thumb along her cheekbone.

“I do not wish to part from you Caille,” he said softly as he lowered his lips to hers.

_Oh…OOOH,_ she grasped his meaning as she placed her hand over his heart feeling the fast-staccato beat beneath her fingertips. Celebrating the feeling of his lips brushing hers as her own heart quicken with desire curling through her body deliciously. Nipping his lower lip, demanding more from him, she felt a thrill of excitement rush through her with his groan of desire for her. She felt his hands slide to her hips and lift her as his tongue waged a precise assault on her mouth. Wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, she met his assault with one of her own. Wrapping her hand around his hair demanding everything from him. _I don’t want to lose him,_ her mind raged as she felt her back hit the wall with their recklessness, pinning her as his mouth set a scorching path down her neck.

_I’m losing control_ he realized as he released a feral growl when she scraped her nails across the back of his neck. The predatory side of him moved to pin her against the wall, grinding himself into her as he slid his lips to the soft line of skin between her neck and collarbone. Biting the muscle there, he relished the ragged moan that escaped her lips as he bathed the mark with his tongue. _Emma – Emma - Emma,_  his mind repeated as he felt the last thread of his control snap.

“Ar nuvena ma,” he growled into her ear as he nipped at it enjoying the shiver of breath he felt run over his neck.

_I’m on fire...he is turning me inside out,_ she thought as she took ragged breaths. Moaning loudly, she felt his hand on her breast teasing the small nipple to even tighter attention while sending lightning bolts of desire straight through her where he bathed her neck with kisses and bites. Latching onto his earlobe, she bit and sucked it earning her a louder lustful growl from him as she ran her hands beneath his shirt needing to feel his skin.

“Look at me vhenan,” he growled at her seeing her eyes open to his. He needed her to see him, all of him. He needed her to understand that what she did to him had unhinged him.

Caille shivered at the sound of his accented voice thick with desire. She slid her eyes open slowly to see him staring at her intently. _His eyes are glowing silver,_ she realized. Her fingertips skimmed across his back and she could feel it hum everywhere she touched. She felt the warmth of love for him as she grasped he had let go of his steely control.

“Kiss me Solas,” she said eagerly.

He felt himself shudder with her acceptance, kissing her passionately as her hands caressed his back and her sex ground into his arousal. _Fen’edhis,_ his mind cursed at his constrictive clothing. His desire for her was riding him straight into insensibility as he bit at her nipple through her shirt provoking a cry from her. Lifting his eyes to hers seeing the deep green of her eyes filled with a desire that matched his own, he slid his hand beneath her shorts touching her soft warmth. Crushing his mouth against hers swallowing the soft moans escaping her as he slid his finger into her wetness sending shocks of need through both of them. Sliding a finger into her again, she let a ragged cry escape at the powerful feelings just his finger caused. Removing his hand preparing to rip the shorts from her body and replace his finger with himself his attention snapped to the loud pounding on the front door.

Caille’s body stiffened at the sound, the sudden realization that someone was at the door made her want to scream. _I am going to happily kill the sodding wanker whoever it is,_ she thought angrily as her body screamed at her its needs. Wanting to ignore whoever was standing out there and finish what they had started, she felt him try to gather his own control leaning his forehead against hers as he took one ragged breath after another. Pulling them from the wall, he set her down on her feet angry with himself. _I almost let our first time together be against a damn wall,_ he thought scornfully. _What in the void is wrong with me,_ he scolded himself turning from her to grip the counter tightly, silently hating himself. Caille stared at the rigid line of his back and started to reach for him as the knock on the door came again more insistent. Letting her hand fall away she walked silently out of the kitchen to answer the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vhenan - my heart  
> Fen'edhis - wolf penis  
> Sal'shiral - life mate  
> Emma - mine  
> Ar nuvena ma - I want you


	11. Duty Calls

Caille opened the door seeing Private Elliot Kelly immediately snapping to attention and giving her a salute. _Of all the fucking times,_ she thought angrily as her body still screamed with a need for the man in her kitchen.

“Coirnéal,” he snapped quickly.

“Ceannaire. Who do I thank for the pleasure of your company on my doorstep this morning?” she said rather irritated by the intrusion. _I have two more weeks before I go back damn it._

“Maor-Ghinearál Maitlan sent me Coirnéal,” he answered quickly.

Raising her eyebrow curiously, _I wonder what he wants_ she thought.

“What does the Maor-Ghinearál require of me?” She questioned wishing she could just shut the door and ignore him and the whole sodding thing.

“I am to advise you of a meeting tomorrow at oh-nine-hundred they expect you to attend.”

_Of course, what great timing,_ she joked with herself as she thought of Solas still in the kitchen. _There goes my two weeks,_ she realized unhappily.

“Thank you, I will be there. Drive safely Ceannaire, dismissed.”

Closing the door, she thumped her forehead against the wood wanting to scream. With a steady breath, she raised her head and turned to walk back to the kitchen. Leaning against the door frame she watched Solas continue making breakfast. _I don’t think I will ever get tired of watching him move,_ she thought as he poured batter into the skillet. Walking up to him, she slid her arms around his waist and hugged him from behind feeling him slightly jolt from the gesture before relaxing. Lying her head on his back she listened to the steady beat of his heart and took comfort in his warmth.

“I am sorry for what happened earlier Caille. I should not have lost control like that.”

Caille sighed with disappointment. _Well you knew that was coming girlie, he likes his control in place,_ she reminded herself. She could almost taste the anger with himself on the air. Removing her arms from him she stepped away as he turned around.

“Well, I’m not sorry about what happened Solas. Some things should not be so damned controlled,” she said with a short laugh, crossing her arms in aggravation since he was missing the point.

 “I was enjoying myself and your lack of bloody control until we were so rudely interrupted. Or did you not notice I was participating?” she said in annoyance.

Solace gazed at her and felt the flush spread from his cheeks to his ears as he remembered her passionate participation. _Focus wolf,_ he snapped at himself.

“Of course, I noticed vhenan, that is not my point,” he said slightly flustered.

“Then what **is** your point?” she asked exasperatedly.

“My point is that the first time I make love to you, I would prefer it not be some quick coupling against a bloody wall,” he growled out.

_Ah, now we are getting to the meat of it, this elf has plans,_ she thought as a large smile spread across her face and her eyes twinkled happily at him.

“Well alrighty then,” she said as she turned to leave him and then turned back. “Don’t forget about your pancakes love,” she said quickly blowing him a quick kiss as she sauntered away to take a shower.

Rooted to the spot he watched the sway of her hips and pinched the bridge of his nose as he started to smile. _Fenedhis, she is killing me._

 

When she returned to the kitchen he noticed her hair was wet and his mind drifted to her under the spray of water and instantly shut that thought down. _Stop it you fool, first things are first and there are rules to such things,_ he chastised himself as he brought her a plate trying to ignore the tempting view of cleavage peeking from beneath the buttoned shirt as the fresh scent of mint, honeysuckle and what he knew was her own scent aroused his blood.

Smiling up at him her thanks, she realized that her plan to drive him to lose his bloody control again was working if his hungry look was anything to measure it by. Licking her lower lip with nervousness, Solas watched the movement and mentally groaned. Taking a shaky breath, he stepped back to seat himself across from her. Caille’s smile got bigger seeing his retreat as she dug into her breakfast. Chewing thoughtfully, she watched him eat as she planned her next move in what she had decided to call _operation win the man_ while she was in the shower.

“You are going to need to pack a bag Solas, I need to be in Belfast tonight for a meeting tomorrow morning.”

He was curious as to what she did, yet the few times she spoke about her work she was not happy to discuss it. Nodding his agreement, he finished his pancakes and took his plate to wash at the sink. Caille stared at his beautiful backside as he stood at the sink. Picking up her own plate, she walked to stand beside him and slid in between him and the sink giving him a slight bump with her butt.

“You cooked, I clean remember,” she said cheekily as she winked at him enjoying the feel of him still pressed firmly against her back.

Solas found he could not get his brain to work. _I must get out of here,_ he thought as he moved away from her slowly. Turning quickly, he walked through the back door and headed to the barn. Caille giggled slightly seeing him walk as if he were a man possessed, towards the barn.

 

Solas pounded into the bag as he had seen her do before. He felt some of his frustration lessening as he hit the bag again. He knew what he needed and hit the bag again, _her…you need her you old fool._ He had never been at a loss for words before until her. _Never has my brain just shut off before,_ he thought as he hit the bag again. _Well, the blood is too busy rushing to your dick old wolf, that’s why your brain shuts off,_ he censured himself as he slammed his fists into the bag in quick succession.

Caille leaned against the wall watching him pound away at the punching bag. She had never seen him use it before, _he must be really frustrated,_ she thought with an internal smile. Right this moment she appreciated his shirtless form as she watched the muscles along his back move to do his bidding.

 Solas hit the bag one more time when he caught her scent. Grabbing the bag, he leaned his head against it wearily. _There will be no peace until you make her your true mate,_ he admitted to himself as he turned his head to look at her. He knew that once he did there would be no going back for either of them. Caille walked towards him holding a towel out.

“Not too bad for an old guy,” she said cheekily enjoying the short burst of laughter from him as he took the towel from her.

Wiping the sweat from his face and neck enjoying the way she devoured every movement. _Good to know I am not the only one getting tormented,_ he thought somewhat happier.

“Do you think me old Caille?” he asked curiously as he slid the towel around his neck and propped his hands on his hips.

_Oh what I would give to just run my tongue down his stunningly carved stomach,_ she thought and then blushed furiously at her own dirty ideas. _Get a grip girly, keep your tongue to yourself and control the hormones_ she reminded herself.

“No,” she said her voice smoky with desire as her eyes devoured every square inch of his expansive chest then back to his eyes. “No, I most definitely do not think you old Solas.”

Solas stood rooted as she answered. _Bloody hell,_ he thought as she took a step closer grabbing the ends of the towel pulling him down towards her and placed her lips on his. She teased him with her own then pulled slightly away gazing into his eyes.

“I bet you wanna grab a shower before we leave, so let’s try and get out of here in the next couple of hours okay?”

“Okay,” he murmured as she walked away from him back towards the house still feeling the tingling of her lips on his.

 

The rolling hills of green grass, dotted with sheep or cattle kept Solas enthralled at the beauty of it all for the hour and a half drive from Castlecaulfield to Belfast. The city was bustling with activity and he was quite overwhelmed by the sheer size of it all.

“You…work here?” he asked curiously.

Caille laughed as she took a right going towards her townhouse. “Not down here no, I work in a military-owned facility outside of the city.”

Solas stared at the changing buildings and still did not understand what she did for this military. He understood that she could use a weapon to kill someone from a far distance, and up close if she had too but he was sure that was not what she did now.

“It is a long way to go daily,” he said as he started thinking of being away from her for such long times and did not like the idea.  Caille turned down her street and laughed again.

“It would be a long way to drive daily if that is what I did. I have a home here, the house we left in Castlecaulfield, was my nanna’s that she left me when she passed.”

Solas looked around at the area seeing how everyone lived so closely together. _It is not unlike how the cabins were crammed into Haven_ , he thought as they pulled up to her home.

“This is us,” she said as she turned the jeep off. Solas gazed at the medium sized stone building already missing the open space of the other home. Getting out, he came around and opened her door as she moved towards the door of the home. He grabbed his bag from the back of her jeep and followed after her.

Leading him down the short hall and up the stairs, she brought him to the bedroom to put his bag away as she gave him the tour.

“This is the bedroom obviously and through that door right there is the master bathroom. This place isn’t as spacious as the other house. I hope you don’t mind sharing the bed with me, I promise not to take up too much space,” she said with a twinkle of mischief in her eyes as she smiled and turned to go down the hallway. “Now down the hallway at the end is another room that I use as an office since I do a lot of work from home, but feel free to use it if you wish. Now through this door here is another bathroom right here.”

Solas followed behind her quietly as the reality of this new situation started to settle in. _We are sharing a room, sweet Creators this is going to be a personal hell until I complete the steps of our bonding,_ he realized as he walked down the stairs behind her.

“Here is the living room and I can guarantee that all the furniture is comfortable. Now through this door,” she said as she moved with him behind her “is the kitchen. Oh, bullocks, I am going to have to go to the market,” she said with a huff of breath when she realized there was no food in the place.

Solas took in the pumpkin and sage colors of the kitchen made to blend with the dark wood cabinets and flooring. He enjoyed the feel of her home as he closed his eyes and felt the vibrations that moved around him. As he opened his eyes, he caught her watching him as she bit her lip and raised his eyebrow questioningly.

“Are you okay?” she asked nervously.

Solas smiled and kissed her forehead softly pulling her into his embrace as he realized that he would need to advance the steps in making her his.

“Yes vhenan, I am well. It is a lot to take in but I assure you it will be fine.”

Caille wrapped her arms around his waist enjoying the vibration of his voice against her cheek.

“Okay, just checking,” she said gently as she squeezed him and then stood back. “I am going to run to the market really quick and grab some essentials while you get comfortable with the surroundings.” She said as she walked back to the living room to grab her purse and keys. “Oh, and through that other door in the kitchen is the back-yard area. It can be quite peaceful to sit in if you need somewhere quiet to go.”

Solas watched her leave and turned from the door when it closed looking at his surroundings. His eyes fell to a wall of pictures and these were filled with her grandparents and many friends all in relaxed moments. Moving through the house he went back upstairs and walked to the bedroom where her scent filled the space sending a slow curl of desire to move through his veins. Turning from the room, he padded silently down the hall to the office and here there were more pictures but of her and her comrades. In one picture she was sitting on the shoulders of another man looking very happy and he felt the coil of jealousy flicker in his stomach. Turning away, he spotted some paper and a pencil on the desk. Taking them, he left the room and went to check out the backyard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gaelic Translations  
> Coirnéal - Colonel  
> Ceannaire - Corporal  
> Maor-Ghinearál - Major General
> 
> Elvhen Translations  
> fenedhis - wolf dick  
> vhenan - my heart


	12. Step One

_Wood_ , he thought quickly as he awoke to the sounds of their shared bathroom door opening. _I need wood,_ he realized as she stepped out in nothing but a towel and smiled questioningly at him.

“It’s just a meeting Solas, I will be back in a short amount of time,” she spoke not realizing his discomfort was not at her leaving.  Solas nodded his understandingly as he slid his arm over his eyes again as he said his silent mantra. _Wood, metal, blood, and magic, you will be a good old wolf._ Moving his arm slightly his mind screamed _NO! don’t look or you will be lost to your promise,_ he thought, smelling her scent as he clenched his eyes shut beneath his arm.

Caille looked at him seeing that his form was rigid with discomfort, and spoke gently thinking maybe this new arrangement was uncomfortable to him. _Maybe I should convert the office back to a bedroom,_ she thought sourly.

“Are you okay Solas?” she said gently as she moved towards the bed and stopped as she saw his hand clench into a fist next to his head. _Yup, the new arrangement is driving him insane._

“I am fine vhenan,” He spoke quickly and then let out his held breath. “I will keep my eyes closed as you get dressed,” he said calmly with his arm over his eyes focusing on keeping his blood cool. Caille stared at him not surprised as she pulled things from her dresser and closet.

“Okay…that’s great,” she said feeling angry at his steadfast control. _This is ridiculous,_ she realized as she dropped her towel, noticing sadly that he did not so much as move his arm an inch. Pulling small clothes on, she pulled her BDU’s on quickly, speaking gently.

“I’m dressed Solas,” seeing his eyes glance to her feet first she held a laugh back as he saw her in her daily uniform. Seeing him look at the clothes then to her eyes quizzically if not a little apprehensively.

“Do you still fight vhenan?” he asked quietly taking in her full outfit. Caille smiled comfortingly as she walked to him.

“Not as much. I will come after my meeting to bring you to where I work so you don’t worry so much Solas.”

Her answer did not alleviate his worry. “ _Not as much”, what does that mean_ exactly he thought. Watching her quickly braid her hair intricately, he felt his fingers tighten into balls at his sides with his wanting to remove them. He noticed that she was watching him through the mirror, and nodded his partial understanding. His body tightened as she walked quickly to him and placed a brief kiss on his lips.

“See you in a few hours,” she said punctuating it with another kiss and left the room. He watched her leave breathing a small sigh of frustration at her absence.

 

Solas stood in the backyard holding a solid piece of Rowan wood from the tree. Focusing on the piece, his hands began to glow as he used magic to carve the edges making the piece round and smooth. Once that was done, he focused on the image of a wolf. Seeing the face of the animal form he felt the knot that had been in his stomach lessen. When the image was complete, he turned the flat disc over to inscribe the first step in his intent. _Var lath vir suledin._ Slipping the piece into his pocket smoothly when he heard her call out from the kitchen doorway.

“Hey handsome, I’m back.”

Solas smiled walking towards her.

“I see that vhenan. Was your meeting productive?” he noticed that her smile slipped a little from her lips. Raising his eyebrow quizzically as she looked closely at her shoes instead of at him.

“It was a meeting, they’re not always productive so much as painful. Anyway, I promised you a tour of my workplace, are you ready?”

Solas could hear the indirectness in her answer and felt a different type of knot form in his stomach at her non-answer. Walking towards her, he gently lifted her chin so he could see into her eyes.

“What aren’t you telling me Caille?” hearing her sigh of resignation she spoke quietly.

“The part where I will be gone for a week to England.”

Solas felt his stomach drop. _Gone, she said gone._ With a calming breath, he whispered, “when?”

Caille stared at the ground unable to look at the hurt in his eyes.

“Day after tomorrow,” she said softly.

Solas closed his eyes letting go of her chin, he turned to stare at the tree as he collected his rampant emotions. _Not enough time wolf._ Caille stared at his rigid back and wished she didn’t have to go.

“If I didn’t have to go Solas, I wouldn’t. My superiors have asked that I do some training exercises with England’s Special Forces unit. Sometimes being good at what you do is not always a great thing.”

He felt his heart stop at her words. _This is what she does wolf, she trains people to fight. You have seen her move, she is very good at what she can do. If she could stealth like the rogues of my world, she would be unstoppable._ He stopped his own selfish thoughts as he felt her turbulent emotions beat at him. _Fenedhis, I am making it worse for her._ Taking a calming breath, he turned to see her wipe the tears that had started to fall. _Bloody hell,_ his mind yelled as he moved quickly to pull her into his arms.

“Shh, vhenan. It will be fine…I will be fine,” he said quickly as her arms snaked around his waist and clung to him.

 

Solas leaned against the door jamb with his arms crossed watching her pack. Every small item she added to her bag he felt his heart squeeze a little tighter. _This is going to get very painful, old wolf,_ having a bond mate is not turning out to be a joyous as the others of his kind made it out to be. Pinching the bridge of his nose with the sound of her zipping up the bag hurting his heart. _I must explain this to her, she doesn’t understand why she is feeling the way she is,_ he thought suddenly.

Caille felt her heart squeezing tightly in her chest the way it did the day she thought he was gone and didn’t understand it. _You're being ridiculous girlie, it’s just a damn week. If it’s just a week why do I feel this way?_ She sneered at herself as she zipped up her bag. Rubbing her face trying to stem the feeling of wanting to cry. Staring at the bag she wanted to hurl it across the room. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she stared out the window and for the first time in her life she wished she had chosen any other career than the one she had.

Solas moved from the door and grabbed the bag setting it down next to the doorway and returned to sit beside her grasping her hand. Caille gave him a wobbly smile and tried to make light of the heavy moment.

“Well, at least you won’t have me draped all over you when you’re trying to sleep. Just think about it…you might actually get a good night’s sleep.”

Solas internally cringed at the reminder and spoke softly.

“I enjoy waking that way vhenan,” he said watching her eyes soften to deep green and squeezed her hand.

“There are things that you don’t know about my kind, and I need you to.”

Caille gazed at him curiously as he spoke.

“Do you feel as if your heart is breaking? That it is heavy? The thought of not being with me is painful?”

Caille nodded her head at his question feeling childish.

“I know it’s silly, but yes all those things and more,” she said quietly looking away from him.

Solas sighed with relief at knowing she was, and would always be just his.

“It is not silly vhenan. I have all those same feelings,” he said softly.

Caille’s gaze swung back to him in surprise.

“Then why have you…why haven’t we…” blushing furiously, he smiled knowingly.

“Finished what we started in the kitchen?”

“Yes,” she squeaked out.

“Because you do not treat a bond mate in such a hurried manner. There are steps that must be heeded. Courtship with symbolic gifts and if I don’t do this right then…” _why is this so bloody difficult for me to explain?_ He questioned himself angrily.

Caille gazed at him dumbfounded. _Bond mate? Steps? What in the bloody hell is he talking about?_

“Solas, I don’t understand.”

Running his hand through his hair in aggravation. _No doubt,_ he said to himself sarcastically as he searched for the correct words to explain.

“That is because I am doing a horrible job of explaining this,” he said aggravated with himself. Taking a calming breath, he started again.

“When one of my kind fall in love, it is only once, and that person you fall in love with is called your bond mate. When one finds their mate, there are very specific rules that express one’s intent. There is a courtship, where special gifts are given that strengthen the bond between the couple. Once all the steps of courtship are observed, then the couple would take the final step and claim each other physically, finishing the ritual of courtship that ties their soul to one another.”

Caille stared at him in surprise. _Is he…plans, her elf had plans,_ her mind reminded her. She watched him pull something from his pocket and the realization of everything he said set in. _He is in love with me,_ she realized nervously. Biting her lower lip she returned his gaze as she spoke quietly.

“Are you asking me to bond with you Solas?”

_Why are you so nervous old wolf? This was what you intended, yes?_ Swallowing nervously as he lost himself in her mossy green gaze.

“Yes, if you would have me.”

Caille held out her hand for the ritual to begin and watched his nervous gaze change to joy. Solas placed the small wooden disk in her palm and the knot in his stomach released. Caille felt the heat radiate from inside the small piece of wood in her palm. Gazing at it she saw the small etching of a wolf, tracing the pattern with her fingertip. The wood was smooth as silk, and turning it over she could see the writing but unsure of what it said. Looking at him he spoke huskily, “Var lath vir suledin, it means our love will endure even over great distance.”

Caille said the verse looking at him to make sure she said it correctly. Solas nodded his head and watched her trace the words with her fingers as she had with the wolf etching. _She has accepted your intent old wolf, there is no going back,_ his mind spoke quietly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> vhenan - my heart  
> Var lath vir suledin - Our love will endure even over great distance  
> Fenedhis - wolf dick


	13. Bonded

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***NSFW***  
> I know this has been a long time to come, and I do appreciate those who have waited. Life is...sometimes a bitch. Please enjoy.

Solas stood in the backyard focusing his energy out searching for the metal he knew was beneath him. Finding a small vein of silver, he pushed his magic into the ground to pull the ore forward. Magic shimmered around him as he focused. Finally, with the ore free of the earth he picked up the raw material. Turning it around in his hand he imbued the ore with his energy until it gave a soft glow. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he moved to sit on the ground to get comfortable.

Weaving a spell making the metal shift into multiple thin wires. As the spell reached its peak, the wires wove together into an intricate weaving of two separate braids. Moving his hands confidently, the pattern he focused on was one of vines, that intertwined as two souls would together once the bond was forged. For his people, this was the pattern only used for one’s chosen mate. Fashioning two rings was simple enough for him, it was the next steps that were tedious.

Suspending the small identical rings, using magic, he made a small cut on his finger allowing four drops of his blood to land on the metal. Sealing the cut easily, he began the spell that would embed his blood within the metal. Pushing his will and intent on the small objects, the metal took his magical blood easily. Once it was complete, he sealed the rings magically and let them fall into his hand. Looking at his handy work he smiled feeling the energy within them. Wrapping his hand around them and sliding them into his pocket, he smiled feeling the flutters of excitement and nervousness knowing she would be back tomorrow and this pain in his chest would finally cease.

 

 

Caille walked into the pub with the team she had been training as a celebration for a job well done. Listening with one ear to their conversation, her mind was on Solas. _I miss him,_ she sighed as she palmed the small piece of wood in her pocket as she sat at the table with the small group.

“That is a look of love folks. Complete, gonna make a fool of yourself, kind of love,” Lauren said loudly to the group as they all stared at Caille and her flushed cheeks of embarrassment.

“Whoever the bloke is, he must have balls of steel,” Mark joked as the group laughed.

Caille laughed as she took the ale offered and took a healthy drink. Listening to them tease her one after another, John pulled her focus when he poked her in the ribs with his elbow.

“Who is this bloke that wrangled the Great Red Ridinghood?”

Laughing she looked at them and with a moment of realization, she started to laugh even harder.

“What Red, you ain’t gonna tell us?” Sammy grumbled at her.

Gathering her breath, she said with humor, “The Big Bad Wolf caught me,” she said bursting into peals of laughter. She knew that none of them would get the joke, but she couldn’t believe she had never thought of it. Lauren spoke quickly before she could change the subject as she had before.

“So…what does your wolf look like?”

Caille thought about what Solas looked like and spoke softly as her mind pulled all the little things forward easily filling her with pleasure and longing.

“He is tall…almost two meters tall. Long, and thick…to the middle of his back, dark mahogany colored hair. Piercing, intelligent smoky slate grey eyes. The kind you find on a foggy day on the shores. Wide, strong shoulders. Not bulky with muscle, but lean strength, well defined. Long, tapered, very capable fingers. Then there are his thighs…oh, sweet mother of…” looking at the woman who stared as attentively as the men waiting for her to continue, and she realized that she had blurted out a lot. Blushing heavily, she covered her face as the small group began laughing.

Mark looked at Lauren, “bet he’s ex-military.”

Everyone looked at Caille and she laughed at their rapt expressions.

“I think I have said plenty,” she replied jokingly as she took a drink of her ale laughing as everyone groaned and moaned. _Tomorrow…I see him tomorrow,_ she thought quickly as her stomach fluttered with anticipation.

 

 

Solas stood with the door open waiting for her as she got out of the cab. Moving forward, he took her bag following her into the house. Closing the door behind him, he dropped her bag and grabbed her by the waist lifting her. Caille wrapped her legs around his waist, and her arms around his neck staring into his smoky grey eyes and smiled as she snaked her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck.

“Miss me?” she said jokingly before placing her lips against his.

Groaning as she nibbled on his lower lip he slid his tongue against hers in a slow duel, _the damnable woman already has me on fire_. Desire coiled deep with the feeling of her tightly wrapped around him. _Creators he had missed her._ Pulling slightly back and hearing her moan of frustration, he laughed understandingly.

“Yes, I missed you, vhenan.” Kissing her slowly again, he felt her smile against his lips and enjoyed the feeling of knowing he made her happy. Pulling slowly away again he placed her gently back on her feet and picked up her bag.

“I will take this upstairs.”

Caille nodded as she removed her jacket, watching him amble up the steps. Taking the first easy breath in a week, she walked towards the kitchen and pulled a bottle of wine from the rack. Grabbing two glasses from the cabinet, she felt his hand slide around her waist as he placed a small kiss on her neck, lightening shivers ran across her skin as he moved to open the bottle. Watching him hungrily, she took the offered glass and walked back towards the living room to sit on the big couch. Tucking her legs beneath her, she followed his movements as he came to sit next to her. Curling into his side, she sighed happily as he made lazy circles on her arm enclosing her into a cocoon of calm. _I really missed this,_ she thought quietly as she enjoyed the way he soothed her jagged nerves.

“So, what have you been up to while I was gone?”

Solas smiled teasingly.

“Did you know…elves like to frolic naked in the moonlight? Yup, so I did a lot of naked frolicking.”

Caille laughed, slapping his arm playfully.

“And I missed all that…damn it,” she giggled as she took a sip of her wine.

“I read mostly vhenan. I drew a little, I walked around the area and waited for you to get back, impatiently I must add. I missed waking up to your hair tickling my nose and you laying on me,” he said softly. “How was the training?”

Caille stared at her wine thinking about him sitting here reading or drawing wishing she could have been here to watch. With a heavy sigh, she took a sip of her wine.

“The group was good. A little rough around the edges but they did well. I thought of you often and had a hard time sleeping. But mostly just moved on autopilot. You’re quite the distraction I realized.”

He bent his head to kiss the top of her head smiling into her hair.

“What distracted you so much?” he asked teasingly. Caille tilted her head back and smiled up at him.

“Your stomach muscles mostly,” she said jokingly.

Solas felt his ears turn red as he laughed. Caille set her glass down and snuck her hand under his shirt quickly tickling the rigid flesh she had craved to touch for the past week. Solas set his glass down quickly as he tried to grab the quick little hand as he burst into laughter by the ambush. Realizing she was much too quick for him in his current state. He grabbed her around her waist and hauled her into his lap, tickling her sides as she screamed. Wiggling and trying to get away, as her face nuzzled into his neck and her breath caressed his skin with her giggles. _This might not have been your brightest idea old wolf,_ he thought, stilling his hands while his blood roared with the friction. Caille stopped moving when she realized what she was doing to him, and it was a lot more than tickling.  

Leaning her forehead against his she spoke huskily.

“I’m sorry, how many more sodding steps do we have Solas?”

“One,” he growled.

Caille sighed with unfulfilled need, and started to move off his lap but felt the steel bands of his arms tighten around her. She glanced at him inquiringly, “Solas?”

With a deep breath, he picked her up and sat her down next to him. Gazing at her she could see the same need she felt reflected back at her.

“Do not move Caille,” he said roughly as he moved for the steps with a speed she had never seen before.

_W_ _ell okay, I won’t move then God like Elvhen,_ she sighed jokingly to herself as she leaned back on the couch, covering her face. _Nanna, I really wish you were around to give me some of that woman’s wisdom you spoke about,_ she thought mockingly.

Solas moved to the nightstand and pulled out the rings. Staring at them carefully, he hoped she would like it. _I never thought about if she would like the design,_ he realized as he looked at them now. _Venavis, your stalling wolf._ Taking a calming breath, holding the rings tightly, he wove the last spell that would link their souls together for eternity. Moving rapidly from the room before he could change his mind, he descended the stairs seeing she was still where he had left her. Kneeling in front of her he grabbed her hands gently waiting for her to open her eyes. Caille gazed down at him smiling.

“I didn’t move,” she said softly making him smile at the small joke.

“And I am thankful,” he said pleased. Taking a calming breath, he pulled the rings out of his pocket.

“The last step for us is one ring for each. They are fashioned from raw ore, magic, and blood. The spell contained within the simple bands will link our souls together for eternity. Once we place the bands on and say the binding words, we activate the spell and the ritual is complete.”

Caille stared at him nervously. _Elvhen marriage,_ she thought seriously. She realized with a sudden clarity she had never told him how she felt. With a steady breath, she raised her hand to caress his cheek.

“I love you, Solas. I would be proud to be yours,” she said lovingly as she leaned forward and kissed him gently. Leaning away from him she waited for him to place the ring on her finger and teach her the words.

He did not know how he had finally found her, but he would not scoff at the creators for bringing him to her now. Sliding the band onto her third finger of her left hand, he held his out to her. Caille took the band and slid it onto his staring at him she waited for him to say the binding words.

“Ane emma bellanaris," he said slowly waiting for her to repeat the phrase.

“Ane emma bellanaris,” she repeated slowly watching him.

“la’var ar ame mar” he said slowly and felt the magic course up his arm locking into his heart.

“la’var ar ame mar” she repeated and felt an electrical rush towards her heart. Eyes widening in surprise she glanced at him smiling.

“Is it supposed to do that?” she asked quickly.

“Yes,” he said laughing.

Laughing, she wrapped her hand around his neck pulling him forward. “Good” she whispered against his lips as she kissed him deeply. Solas groaned as her tongue slid against his. Unwilling to end the kiss, he snagged her by the waist and picked her up bridal style moving towards the stairs. _Sweet mother, he is really good at this,_ her mind thrilled with expectation. _I probably should tell him I’ve never done this second part before,_ she thought as they walked into their room. Pulling away slowly she nuzzled his neck and kissing just below his jaw she felt a jolt of desire curl at the tiny moan that escaped him.

Laying her down, he slid between her open legs. Using his arms to prop his weight off her, he bent to kiss her neck. Feeding off the small little moans of pleasure she made as slid her shirt from her shoulder exposing the tender flesh he bit gently into the muscles of her collarbone. Reaching for the small buttons of her shirt she murmured softly, “Solas…I should tell you that I’ve never…”

Solas stopped frozen and gazed at her stunned speechless. _She can’t mean, she…_ seeing her face blush he realized that it was exactly what she meant.

“Caille, you have never…” she finished his sentence quickly before he could, filled with embarrassment.

“Never.”

Solas rolled off of her and pinched the bridge of his nose as he realized what she meant. _She truly is a gift, his beloved,_ he thought as he glanced towards her. Before he could say anything, she spoke rushed, nervous, and embarrassed.

“It’s not that big of a deal…I mean, I know that most woman my age have already. I just never had the opportunity. I…your disappointed,” she said dismally as she moved to leave.

Solas gazed sharply at her grabbing her by the waist before she could bolt.

“It is a big deal to me, and I am **not** disappointed vhenan, just overwhelmed and privileged.”

Caille stared at him feeling nervous and tried to roll away feeling his hand tighten and pull her into his arms.

“You do not realize the gift you offer, vhenan. I am honored to know you chose me…and…I am scared,” he admitted softly.

Caille stared at him surprised.

“What do you have to fear?” she questioned quickly.

Solas smiled at her as he gently spoke, touching her cheek softly with a finger. “That I will hurt you, that you will not enjoy it.”

Caille smiled at him understandingly as she pulled him closer, placing her hand over his heart.

“I am not so fragile love, and if the kitchen proved anything…I will enjoy it.”

Solas felt the heat as it spread across his face to the tips of his ears. _She is everything you have ever wanted or dreamed of wolf…move._

Bending slowly, he placed a small kiss on her lips smiling happily knowing what he needed to do.

“You have traveled most of the day and are surely in need of relaxation. Wait here,” he said smoothly as he let go of her rolling from the bed.

Solas walked to their master bathroom with the large tub. Moving his hands and speaking in ancient elvish, _enlea_ as multiple, small little globes of light floated around the room. Checking the water quickly he found it warm enough and turned to gather Caille.

Caille laid on the bed listening to water running and gazed at the ceiling. _He is running a bath for me,_ she thought nervously as Solas suddenly appeared in front of her.

“Come vhenan,” he said gently as he took her hand.

Caille gazed into the bathroom and saw the small magical globes of firelight floating in the air, and a tub full of water. Turning to him in awe she watched him smile enjoying the moment.

“Get in,” he said huskily.

Caille undid the first button of her shirt and noticed his fixed gaze on her fingers, and slid her fingers slowly down the front of her shirt enjoying his eyes following the movement. _You’re going to get your elf without control girlie, I sure hope you're ready,_ she realized as she spoke huskily.

“How about you help me,” she asked softly.

Solas stared at her apprehensively as he moved closer. Undoing the next button Caille watched his deft fingers slowly move down her shirt. Sliding it from her shoulders, she stood in her bra and pants watching him closely enjoying his focused intensity. Solas undid the buttons on her pants and let them slip from her narrow hips. He devoured his view of her in nothing but her smalls as she stepped from the pants. _Sweet Creators, I just need to get her into that bath, you’ll have this for the rest of your life,_ he berated himself. Watching as she unlatched her breast band, he held his breath within his chest as she slid it from her shoulders exposing pink tipped breasts. Frozen, he watched as she slid her smalls off. Gazing at him nervously, she reached behind to undo her braid letting her hair fall over her shoulders. Groaning he lifted his hand to reach out and touch the lock of hair lying just over her breast. Breathing heavily at the sight of her he felt the words as they were wrenched from him.

“Ma ane ina'lan'ehn.”

Caille gazed at him curiously, and unsure of what he said as he placed a gentle kiss on her lips and slowly turned her leading her to the bath.

“Get in vhenan.”

Caille stepping into the tepid water shivered. Solas saw the movement and moved quickly.

“I can fix that,” he said as he pushed magic into the water heating it as she sat down with a happy sigh. Caille laid back as her breasts bobbed gently in the water and enjoyed the heat he had suddenly created.

“Mmm, that is nice love,” she said thickly as Solas couldn’t tear his gaze from her wet breasts. _I need help,_ he thought, tearing his gaze away quickly. Caille chuckled, knowing that he wanted to take things slow and pointed to beneath the sink.

“There is a bottle under there that will make bubbles.”

Reaching quickly for the cabinet, Solas grabbed a bottle and held it out to her, “is this it?” he asked somewhat breathlessly.

Laughing she said softly, “yes” watching his expression was worth every moment of her own discomfort at being naked under his intent gaze.

Solas squeezed the small container until he was sure there was plenty of soap in the water and moved his hand quickly causing the bubbles to form. Her laughter of delight sent daggers of desire racing through his veins at the mounds of bubbles. _She is now only yours old wolf…for eternity, there is no need to rush…now move._ Leaving the room, he went to retrieve her glass of wine, and grabbing the bottle from the kitchen before going back to her.

Caille moved her arms through the water enjoying the bubbles and the heat. Sliding beneath the water she came up as he walked in holding her glass of wine out to her. Smiling at him she reached for the glass with a bubble covered arm. Solas had lost his breath watching her emerge from beneath the water’s surface while holding her glass. _Mythal_ lanaste, his mind silently begged as he handed her the glass.  Turning towards the bedroom, he moved his hands through the air and spoke gently _enlea_ as many little firelight's bloomed, giving the room a soft glow.

Moving back towards the bathroom doorway, he gazed at her lying back with her eyes closed perching the glass on the side of the tub. She spoke huskily without opening her eyes feeling his gaze.

“All this beautiful pampering, and you’re leaving your woman lonely. There is plenty of room in here for both of us love, come and join me.”

He didn’t hesitate as he pulled his shirt over his head dropping it on the floor. Caille watched him remove his clothes and felt the tickles of anticipation as he removed his pants. _Sweet mother he really does have nice abs,_ she thought as she watched him shuck his briefs, and her brain went silent and made nothing but white noise. Solas padded to the tub and climbed in behind her with unhurried movements. With a leg on either side of her, he pulled her gently back to lay against his chest.

Closing his eyes, he let his head rest on the wall behind him enjoying the feeling of her wet skin against his. She laughed softly as she ran a fingertip over his knee. Solas stirred at the sound and opened his eyes to look at her curiously.

“What do you find funny vhenan?” he asked her curiously.

Caille continued to play with his knee as she teased him.

“I am laughing over how it took you less than fifteen seconds to remove your clothes and get in. I found it funny that you did not fold your clothes as is your normal,” she said with a small humorous chuckle to her voice trying desperately to ignore that he was naked behind her and she could finally feel all of him against her. Solas leaned forward moving her hair to the other side of her neck, and nipped at the tendon on her shoulder sending a jolt of pleasure through her, reminding her that he was indeed very wet, and naked.

“When your beautiful, very naked woman, tells you to join her in a bathtub. You don’t waste time vhenan,” he said against her skin.

Caille felt the small shivers run across her skin as he kissed up the side of her neck, taking her earlobe between his teeth. Letting a soft moan escape while her head rolled back to lay against his chest. Solas grazed his fingers over her collar bones. She was burning up with his feather light touches over her skin that skirted areas that demanded his touch. He grabbed the liquid soap and pouring some into his hand began washing her back. Caille gazed at him over her shoulder, enjoying the way his hands moved over her skin. Appreciating the total focus on just washing her, she leaned forward slightly as he moved down her spine in a gentle massaging motion.  

Solas rinsed her back and began washing her hair. He treasured her hair. How it would curl in untamed ways around her shoulders, or that he would find it partially covering his face to tickle his nose when they slept because she was laying on him. Rinsing the soap from the fiery mass, he moved to grab more soap as she turned within the confines of his legs. The feel of her wet breasts sliding over his stomach made the breath hiss from between his lips. _Sweet Creators, I don’t know if I can go as slow as I need to,_ he thought as he gazed into the twin emeralds of her eyes.

Caille saw the fire flash in his eyes and smiled. Gazing up at him as she placed a soft kiss to his chest and watched his eyes deepen in color and then turn a mixture of molten silver and smoky grey. _I do believe I just snapped that control of his,_ she giggled to herself in anticipation, placing another kiss slightly higher on his chest slowly sliding up his body.

He was on fire with his desire for her. As her wet skin slid slowly up against him, he groaned softly as he grabbed her hips and pulled her up for him to devour her lips letting her feel his fullness for her. Plundering her mouth like a starved man, his skin lit everywhere her hands touched. Her tongue dueling with his sent the feral side of him to scream at him,  _claim her now_. Caille pulled back with her eyes still closed and spoke softly against his lips.

“Take me to bed Solas.”

“Ma nuvenin vhenan,” he uttered roughly as he stood holding her bride style and stepped out of the tub. Caille could not say how she had gotten dry so quickly, or how they had gotten to the bed so fast either she was just glad they were in it and would not question her good fortune.

Lying her down gently he laid beside her and just looked at her, memorizing every freckle, scar, and contour of her skin. Caille reached up and touched his cheek softly before leaning up to place her lips against his. Solas ran his hands over her as if he were a blind man trying to read brail, and memorize every curve and small divot. Each small touch elicited a soft moan. Caille ran her own hands over his shoulders and down his chest stopping at his hips nervously. Letting her fingers enjoy the feeling of his skin against the tips. _Are you really that scared of it?_  she thought quickly, almost in reprimand. Biting her lip, she let her left-hand trail down the front of him to grasp him fully in her hand. Silken, steely skin met the palm of her hand, and the growl that left him at the touch excited her to boldness.

As his palm moved to touch her breast she mewed softly against his lips and stroked him gently. Solas bucked unconsciously beneath her hand at her caress, and rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. Caille cried out at the contact unsure of what she should do. Moving her head slightly she kissed him passionately as she continued caressing him. Solas grabbed her hand from him and pulled it away to lie on his chest allowing him a moment to catch his breath, and his control. Seeing the look of annoyance on her face he kissed her nose and then her lips.

“Vhenan, I have almost no control right now, and…I don’t want to hurt you. Please…let me love you,” he said huskily and Caille felt on fire. Nodding her head in agreement she watched as he dipped his head to her breast and suckle one of her nipples. _Sweet Christ, that is good_ she thought as his tongue built a roaring fire in her that had her gripping his shoulders.

Solas moved from worshiping one breast to the other, enjoying the sounds of wildness she made, spurring him on. Focused on giving her pleasure, he unthinkingly let his magic seep out. Caressing every exposed inch of her skin, Caille was sure she was on fire. Soft moans turned to gentle cries as he licked and sucked at her available flesh. Moving between her legs, he groaned as he slid his tongue between her wet folds, drinking deeply from her. Caille bucked against the bed feeling as if he were touching every square inch of her skin and not just between her legs. Crying out loudly, _everything is on fire,_ she thought as he slid his tongue against her. Solas laved at her folds loving the way she tasted and the sounds she made as she bounded towards her own climax. Suckling the small gem hidden within he heard the small scream of pleasure as she bucked beneath him as the first orgasm took her. Gazing lovingly over the soft plane of her stomach, he gazed upon her glistening, glowing skin realizing his magic was awakening her. _How is this possible, she is not a mage? Later…think about that later._ His mind stated as he placed small kisses to her stomach moving slowly up her body.

Caille couldn’t take anymore, she knew she needed him and only he could give her what her body was screaming for. Grabbing his shoulders, she gripped him tightly and panted with need, “Solas…please,” she begged.

 Positioned at her entrance he kissed her roughly, trying to hold onto what little control he had as he felt the heat of her entrance caress and beckon him to move taking his control away quickly.

He could feel her intense need as he slowly slid through the tight opening. Clenching his jaw to keep himself controlled, he felt her tightness surround him, the small barrier of her innocence impeding his advancement. His every nerve ending was exposed, and the clenching of her wetness around him was sending him aflame and quickly peeling the last of his control away.

She was on fire as sparks of desire-laden lightning flashed behind her closed eyes. Frustrated with his hesitance as everything she felt was intense and she was in a sensory overload. Wrapping her legs tightly around him, she raised her hips before he could stop her and buried him deep within her. With a small whimper of need, she grabbed his face and held his gaze, as she begged him.

“Solas make love to me now or so help me, I might actually hurt you.”

His eyes went from the desire filled smoky slate blue-grey to complete molten silver. His magic wove unencumbered through the room with her words, caressing their exposed skin. Everything that made him an ancient elvhen was now pouring out of him, filling her and the room to bursting and he had no control to stop it. Caille screamed when her body shattered in release while his magic wrenched her over a dark precipice and he had not even moved yet. His magic ran through her, stirring her body into a blinding frenzied state of need again.

The feral side of him was in control as he bit her neck, leaving a small territorial mark in its wake. Grasping her hips tightly, he slid deeply into her eliciting a deep growl of pleasure from him. With steady, deep thrusts, her cries of pleasure muffled against his chest while she clung to him tightly only intensified his desire. His body sped towards the brink of his own pleasure. Changing the position of her hips to guarantee she would join him, he felt her clench down on him tightly almost sending him over the edge. Her mind was completely open to him and he could hear her thoughts as if they were his own. Moving them closer towards the edge together with their hearts beating as one, and their bodies moving in sync, he suckled at her collarbone enjoying the rush of desire as it pulled them both into its warm embrace.

_I’m drowning…_ she thought as her body filled with something she couldn’t describe. She gazed up at him in awe as she realized his skin glowed, and in turn, so did hers. Solas gazed back at her before capturing her lips and sharing his mind with her as she was him. He felt her body tighten and clench around him as he pulled her into the abyss of pleasure with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> vhenan - my heart  
> Ane emma bellanaris - you are mine for eternity  
> la’var ar ame mar - as I am yours  
> enlea - light  
> Ma ane ina'lan'ehn - you are beautiful  
> Mythal lanaste - Mythal's mercy  
> Ma nuvenin vhenan - as you wish my love  
> Venavis - fuck it


	14. Many Morning's After

Staring at the riotous amount of red hair currently covering his chest, he wrapped a single lock around his finger enjoying the silken texture. She was currently draped over him in her usual sleeping position, and every piece of him felt alive. He gazed at the small hand currently curled over his heart, and he could feel her breath on his skin as she slept. His mind replayed the night's events remembering everything. _She has latent magic,_ he thought as he remembered her skin glowing when his own magic found hers. Closing his eyes, he focused his magic on finding hers. When he felt the soft caress of it against his own, his heart skipped in excitement. Opening his eyes, he gazed down at her and realized that her magic felt like his own. It was similar with very few subtle differences.

Smiling at the realization, he ran a finger over her shoulder needing to touch her. _Curious,_ his mind thought as his fingers absently caressed her shoulder while he studied her dormant magic. He was sure he had felt this magic before – _but where?_ His fingers froze on her skin as he realized where he had felt it before. _The Eluvian – her magic is what brought me here, but how? And if she could bring me here, then only she could send me back._ Rubbing his eyes at the sudden realization, and shoving his hair back he stared at the ceiling. _Back? There is no going back – not without her. You cannot ask her to give up everything she is accustomed to, wolf, that is even if it was possible._

 

Mentally smiling, Caille realized she could get very used to waking up next to a very naked Solas. Placing a gentle kiss on his chest, she slid her fingers over his stomach enjoying the silken texture of his skin and hearing his small intake of breath, feeling the tightening of muscles beneath her fingers. With another soft kiss just over the first ridge of stomach muscle, she glanced up at him through the veil of her hair. Every thought he had been having flew from his mind when he felt her lips on his skin. Catching the sparkling emerald eyes watching him, he moved the hair impeding his view of enjoying her beauty. _She is so beautiful – and all mine._

Caille placed another kiss on his chest moving slowly towards his lips. She loved the soft little groans that came from him as she moved. Gently nipping at the muscle corded on his shoulder, she felt his hand grasp her hip in reflex. Smiling against his skin, she nibbled at his ear and the louder moan that came from him turned the small fire she had been building into an all-consuming blaze.

Sitting up, he lifted her swiftly and slid into her with one skillful movement, joining them. Caille’s head fell back on a moan of pleasure at his sudden fullness filling her. Taking full advantage of the position, he nipped at her collarbone. Wrapping her hair around his hand he pulled her to him as he plundered her lips with barely controlled desire. Moaning against his lips with the electrical sparks of soft friction caused by her nipples rubbed against his chest. Rolling her hips slowly, riding him with her own need for him urging her, provoked a deep growl from him as his hand tightened reflexively within her hair, at her small movements on him. 

_She is lighting every part of me on fire,_ he thought.

Filled with feminine power, she continued her slow gliding movements on him, knowing that she was leading him to slowly lose his vice-like grip on his control. Gently pulling her hair, he exposed her neck to him. Placing small kisses along her collarbone, he nipped at the exposed expansion of skin on her shoulder savoring the soft cries that escaped from her at the assault to her senses. His magic was caressing her – teasing her – assaulting all her senses. The clenching of her tight warmth around him was almost his undoing.

Unsure how much more of this sweet torture he could take before his control would snap was the exact moment when her magic reached for his. With the strong connection, his blood felt the sparks of fire rolling through his veins causing his control to snap. Removing his hand from her hair, he grasped her hips tightly taking control of the slow motion she had initiated and rolled her beneath him. Holding her still, he slid into her deeper and her head arched back as she cried out at the sudden feeling of lightning racing across her skin. Caille wrapped her legs tightly around him silently begging for more. Panting heavily, she gripped his shoulders, arching her back as he thrust hard into her again. Like the night before, she was filled with something more than their lovemaking.

Licking at one of her soft, pink nipples, he felt her tighten around him as she cried out.  With another hard thrust, she raked her nails down his back crying out as she neared her release while lightning flashed behind her eyelids. Rotating his hips, he felt the sudden rush of her orgasm running through his blood pulling him closer to his own release with her cry. Her tight, hot warmth, squeezed around him tempting him to follow where she led. With another snap of his hips, he followed her with a growl into her shoulder letting the sensations she currently felt run over him.

Lying with his head breathing heavily into her neck, Caille ran her hands soothingly through his hair while they both caught their breath. Savoring the way she touched him, he knew he was too heavy to stay where he was and rolled from her. Pulling her within the circle of his arms, his hand drew lazy patterns on her back as he felt his heart and breath normalize with hers. She felt the small sparks along her nerves as his fingers caressed the skin on her back. Sighing softly, she caressed the skin of his chest and wondered if he felt the same thing.

“Is it always going to be so – intense?” she questioned quietly into his chest. Feeling the soft rumble of his laugh against her cheek, she glanced up at him.

“Bond mates do nothing in half measures vhenan. We cannot hide anything from each other; it is what makes the bond strong. It feels powerful because our common link shares our thoughts, our feelings – it is pure emotion.”

_That is why I feel everything; like I’m going to explode into a billion pieces – I am feeling what he feels and him, me._ He watched her grasp the full meaning of his words as she propped her chin on her hand staring at him. Chewing on her lip, a sure sign she was thinking about something he waited for her question. Placing a small kiss on his chest she rolled off the bed and padded silently to his side holding her hand out to him.

“Take a shower with me, love?”

Gazing at her nudity, he watched a small blush form on her cheeks and rolled from the bed letting her pull him towards the bathroom realizing that she would ask her questions when she was ready. In the meantime, he would enjoy showering with his mate.

 

 

It had been three weeks since she had gotten back, and each night with him was as beautiful as the first. The connection between them gave her insight into what pleased him, and she was finding that it took very little to shatter his steely control. With a small smile on her face, she stared blankly at her computer screen when she heard the doorbell buzz. _Not like I’m getting a whole lot done in here,_ she thought. Securing her screen, she moved from behind the desk and walked downstairs just as Solas opened the door.

“Then it is true,” Collin said with a tone of flat disappointment. Gazing at the taller man coldly, “You must be the Wolf she talked about in London, where is she?”

Caille stopped midway down the stairs, _Collin_ her mind said softly _. Well, this is about to get very damn awkward._

Solas gazed at the man recognizing he was the one from a picture in her office. Stiffening when he called him _Wolf,_ he looked at him coolly with a narrowed gaze as he spoke just as coldly.

“Excuse me, who are you?”

Collin tilted his head slightly at the accent unable to place it. Looking the man up and down and had to laugh at the perplexed look on his face. The change in his body language let him know that he was not one to be trifled with lightly, but at that moment he didn’t care. _Where is she,_ his mind questioned.

“You have got to be ex-military,” he said positive he was correct. Spotting Caille behind the tall man, he gazed at her realizing that he had completely fucked up letting her go and the hurt in his eyes showed.

Seeing the rigid line of Solas’s shoulders, Caille walked up beside him and slid her arm around his waist, feeling him relax slightly against her as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

“Solas, this is Collin,” she introduced him then glanced back at Collin.

“When did you get back from down range?”

“Three days ago. I came as soon as I heard Nan was gone.”

Caille gazed at him annoyed at his blatant lie having heard the earlier statement, before pasting a smile on her face.

“That was very kind of you, Nan did like you. Would you like to come in, I was going to start some lunch,” she said politely as she stood off to the side of the door feeling Solas’s hand on her back.

Solas listened to the way she spoke and knew that he had been correct in thinking that at one time she had been in a relationship with this man. _Yes, but she chose you_ his mind reminded him as he unconsciously ran his thumb over his ring extinguishing that flicker of jealousy before it could begin. Collin glanced at her and then back to him smiling cockily, sending out an unspoken challenge to the man.

“Sounds great,” he said as he walked in.

Caille didn’t miss the look he had thrown at Solas and mentally sighed at his stupidity. _For your sake Collin, I hope you behave._ Solas had not missed the silent challenge an answered with his own smirk as the feral part of him began pacing, scenting the prey he would hunt. She could sense the change in him immediately as the coldness radiated from him. Glancing up at him, she placed her hand on his cheek gently making him look at her.

Solas gazed into her fathomless emerald eyes and felt the aura of peace she exuded. Bending he placed a small kiss on her lips.

“Ane emma bellanaris la’var ar ame mar,” she whispered softly against his lips.

He felt her softly spoken words wash over him soothing the wolf part of him, closing his eyes, he kissed her again. Leaning back, he smiled roguishly at her and nodded his understanding.

 

Sitting across from him, Collin assessed the man. _Quiet,_ he realized as he finally caught the man’s gaze.

“So when did you two meet?”

Solas raised his eyebrow at the man’s curiosity.

“A few days after her Grandmother passed.”

Collin felt uncomfortable holding the man’s gaze. _There is something about this bloke I don’t like._

“Not that long then, and you two are already shacking up together?”

Solas’ gaze narrowed at the unspoken accusation. Shrugging his shoulders, he leaned forward resting his arms on his legs, tenting his fingers deciding to jab back.

“I didn’t need years to realize she meant everything to me.”

Collin’s face reddened at the barb.

“You don’t even know her,” he snarled at him.

_Very easy to rile,_ he thought as he smiled wolfishly waiting to see what he would do or say next. Caille walked in at that moment with a small tray of cheese and crackers and could taste the testosterone in the air. Glancing at Solas, she could see his self-assured expression. Turning slightly she gazed at Collin and could see his anger. _I am a fool for leaving them alone for five fucking minutes._ Solas glanced over at her as she entered the room. Standing, he took the tray from her hand and placed it down on the table reseating himself his smile grew as she slid in next to him and sat down. Collin glanced from him to her and shook his head, looking at her disappointedly.

“What the bloody hell are you doing, Red?”

Caille cocked her head to the side as her eyes narrowed at him. Feeling the sudden stiffness in Solas’s arm that he had draped over her shoulder comfortably, she placed her hand on his leg hoping it would keep him calm.

“I could ask you the same thing. What are **you** doing here Collin? You hear a rumor that I’ve finally moved on from you and you show up on my doorstep to what – try to ruin it?”

Glancing at her, he pointed at Solas and spoke as if he wasn’t even sitting there.

“You don’t even know this bloke, and you’re shagging him?”

Caille raised her eyebrow at his crude remark and leaned forward angrily.

“That is usually the course of things when you’re married,” she said coldly.

Collin’s eyes immediately went to her finger seeing the silver band circling the ring finger of her left hand. Darting a glance at him he saw cold grey eyes staring back at him as he gazed at his ring finger seeing a similar ring, and then gazing at her hurt.

“You married him?” he said sadly. _She wouldn’t marry someone she had known for years, but she would marry this guy after a few months._

Caille knew she had hurt him with her admission, and looked at the floor feeling horrible. Solas rubbed the small of her back gently with his thumb feeling the sadness radiate from her. _She doesn’t want to hurt him,_ he realized. Caille glanced at him wishing he hadn’t seen her be so petty.

“Give us a moment my love,” she requested quietly. Solas felt his entire being yell **NO** , as he kissed her cheek and stood.

“Ma nuvenin, vhenan,” he said softly standing and moving towards the kitchen.

Caille watched him leave and turned her eyes back to Collin angrily.

“What do you want,” she said angrily.

Collin gazed unsure how to proceed with her. He had never heard her angry with him before and folded his arms.

“You and I knew each other for four years and you wouldn’t marry me, and yet after a couple of months you marry this…guy?”

Caille expected his hurt and folded her hands, leaning forward.

“I do not expect you to understand my love for him Collin; I never had anything close to what I have with him, with you. I am sorry if that hurts you, but he is **my** husband. I **love** him, and he will be in my life until God takes me home. I do not expect you to agree with it, but I do expect you to be man enough to move on from it, and respect it.” With a sigh of understanding, she looked at him beseechingly, “I will not allow you to disrespect me or our union, and neither will he. He has understood up to now; do not expect him to continue to do so Collin.”

He stared at her then rubbed his face as he stared at his feet. With her words, he looked at her angrily and spoke quickly.

“You think I am afraid of him? I find it hard to believe that you would choose him Caille.” Running his hands through his hair he stared at her hurt and angrily.

“You turned **me** down – **you** wouldn’t marry me. Why damn it?”

Caille took a calming breath as she held his gaze.

“I didn’t love you, Collin,” she said gently.

He felt her words like daggers as he stared at her.

“But I actually **know** you, he doesn’t,” he said quickly.

Caille rubbed her head feeling the headache beginning as she gazed at him.

“He knows me, Collin, it was you who didn’t,” she said gently.

Solas stood in the kitchen listening to the conversation and could feel her inner turmoil of knowing she was hurting him and could not take her pain any longer. Moving through the kitchen doorway he gazed at the slight human and spoke.

“I believe this conversation is over, please leave.”

Collin looked at him angrily as he stood not noticing Caille stepping forward between them holding her hands towards Solas.

“Solas, it’s okay. He was…”

Collin pressed Caille back to the couch out of his way as he squared off with the taller man.

“Just about to kick your ass,” he ended her sentence. Caille felt the chill before she realized that he had Collin by the throat within a blink. Horrified, she could feel his anger as it rolled off him.

“You are a fool to think that touching my mate is something that you can do,” he growled into his face. Forcefully pushing him towards the door, he ignored Caille’s small whimper.

“I will not tolerate such behavior in our home. If you are feeling so inclined _shemlen,_ then let us see what type of metal you are made of,” he spat angrily.

Collin felt the steely hold around his throat as the man removed him from the house and thrust him out into the front yard, and felt his body respond to his challenge. Nodding his agreement, he stood in the front yard waiting for the man to come at him. Solas smiled at him as he cracked his knuckles gazing at him. Caille felt real fear for Collin knowing that Solas was more than he was prepared for.

Solas gazed at the slight human smiling eagerly, _this will be fun,_ his feral side cheered. Turning slightly with the small tug on his arm, he gazed down and watch Caille stare up at him begging.

“Don’t kill him, my love,” she beseeched.

Solas nodded his head and watched her move away from him, understanding that there was more to this than just man stupidity, Solas needed to make him understand that she was with him, and Creators if he didn’t appreciate her understanding.

Collin watched the exchange and angrily looked at the taller man.

“I highly doubt you could kill me. But let’s see what you got,” he spat at him as he stood in a stance prepared for an attack. Laughing at him, he rolled up his sleeves. Glancing at the slight human, he hit him in the face making the man fall to the ground. Standing in the same spot he waited for him to stand.

“I believe you said that you were going to…kick my ass?”

Collin wiped the blood from his nose as he gazed at the man realizing that he was stronger, and a lot faster than he thought. Moving quickly, he threw his fist at his face and felt his wrist being held. Staring into the cold grey gaze he heard him speak quietly.

“I would like nothing more than to kill you _shem_ …but she has asked that you live. Shall I break your nose, ribs or both?”

Collin stared at him in anger and insecurity. _Man is fucking crazy,_ he thought, throwing a punch at his stomach.

Solas grabbed his wrist and twisted slightly making the human fall to the ground on his knees in pain. Gazing into his eyes he asked again, this time more of a growl.

“Nose, ribs or both?”

Collin stared at him realizing that it wasn’t boastful talk; the man could take him at any moment. Closing his eyes he spoke quickly realizing he would not win.

“Nose.”

Solas slammed his hand quickly into his face and Collin hit the ground grabbing his face and trying to gather his breath.

Stepping from him, Solas gazed at him as he felt her run to him and slide her arms around his waist. Feeling her sigh of relief, he gazed down as she looked up at him.

“Thank you, my love,” she said gratefully.

Bending slightly to her, he kissed her nose and smiled.

“Anything for you ma’lath.”

Caille watched as Collin moved from her yard towards his truck not even looking at her. Solas moved towards the young human as he got into his vehicle and spoke softly making sure it would only be heard by them.

“You fought honorably, thank you for caring so much for her.”

Collin stared at him incredulously as he watched him close his door for him. Nodding his head he sighed.

“She was worth it.”

Solas smiled understandingly at him and patted his arm.

“Yes – she is.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ane emma bellanaris la’var ar ame mar - You are mine for eternity, as I am yours.  
> Vhenan - my heart  
> ma lath - my love  
> ma nuvenin - as you wish


	15. Discoveries

Roger Maitlan stared at her from across his desk with surprise clearly written across his features.

“What do you mean _no,_ Coirnéal?”

Caille stood at attention in front of her commanding officer and repeated her stand on the situation.

“I have turned in my paperwork removing me from the rotation of deployment Maor-Ghinearál by requesting for retirement. It was approved and I have twenty-one days left. So no sir, I will not be leaving with Bravo Company to Iraq for eight months.”

Rubbing his face still trying to digest what she had said, he looked at her again. Tenting his fingers he leaned back in his chair.

“Sit down Caille,” he said quietly as he reached into his desk drawer and pulled out two glasses and the bottle of scotch he kept in there. Pouring some of the amber liquid into each glass, he handed one to her.

“When were you going to tell me – on your last day?”

Caille took a sip of the liquid and let the warmth slip down her throat enjoying the taste; she gazed at him over the rim of her glass somewhat sadly.

“I was going to tell you Monday,” she said calmly taking another sip.

Roger gazed at her over the rim of his own glass still reeling from her news.

“It wouldn’t have anything to do with this new bloke I’ve heard some of the men talk about?”

Caille glanced at him and then laughed setting her glass down.

“Maybe, but I am tired of going from one deployment to another, Roger. Does it surprise you that after seventeen years I don’t want to do this any longer?”

Roger glanced at her curiously tapping a finger against his glass.

“I’ve known you a long time Caille; I guess I just always thought you would be here. You’ve never hinted at retiring or being tired. You always seemed to enjoy what you did.”

_That was before I wanted more,_ she thought, looking at her longtime friend. Taking the last swallow of the scotch, she placed the glass down on the desk and stood to leave.

“I guess we will have to get a party together before you’re gone,” he said absently as she moved to leave. Glancing at him quickly she started to protest and stopped as he held his hand up.

“Caille, you can’t expect the men and woman who have worked with you here and down range to not want to have a going away party for you.”

Glancing at the paperwork on his desk he shuffled a few things around and then glanced back up at her.

“We will do it next Friday, and I expect you to bring this man of yours, now dismissed Coirnéal.”

Leaving his office with a small smile she went to her office to finish up a rotation roster for the Bravo Company.

 

Solas sat reading when she walked through the door. Setting his book down he moved to grab her case and kissed her gently.

“I trust your day was successful?”

Caille laughed at his comment and slid her hand over his cheek.

“Yes, and there is something I must tell you.”

Solas placed her case back down and took her hand leading her to the sofa to sit. Caille gazed at him adoringly as she explained what she had done.

“I am – retiring from my work.”

Watching her carefully he could not sense her unhappiness at her choice and grabbed her hand kissing her knuckles gazing at her curiously.

“Is this what you want?”

Caille gazed at him and smiled softly nodding.

“Yes, it is love. It is time for me to leave and move on. They would send me to other countries – away from you and I…can’t.”

Grabbing his face she stared into his eyes pleading for his understanding.

“I don’t think I would survive another deployment for months away from you. I just – can’t,” she said quietly.

Solas sat humbled at her willingness to give up something he knew she loved. Sliding a finger over her jaw he fell into the depths of her emerald eyes.

“I did not want to take you away from what you loved vhenan,” he said understandingly.

Caille placed both of her hands on his face making him look at her.

“You didn’t, I love you – I chose you…I want us,” she said confidently and with her words, he felt his heart soar.

He memorized her face with his gaze and kissed her softly, feeling her sigh against his lips. _I must tell her,_ he realized pulling slightly away.

“I think I know how I got here vhenan,” he said watching her face carefully.

Caille pulled away to gaze at him searchingly. Solas gathered his courage and spoke quickly before he changed his mind.

“You vhenan – you brought me here.”

Caille stared at him incredulously shaking her head.

“How is that even possible Solas? I was nowhere near the mirror or the room at the time you came through.”

Solas smiled in memory of the night he came to be here and gazed at her.

“I did not know it until the first night we lay together. You – have latent magic that lies within you. The first night we made love it awoke. I had felt it before – and it was the night I was pulled through my Eluvian. The same magic I felt that night is what is within you.”

Caille stared at him stunned and then laughed nervously moving to stand and pace in front of the unlit fireplace.

“That isn’t possible Solas, there is no magic in this time. I can’t do what you do,” she said quickly.

Smiling, he stood and pushed his magic towards her and felt the call answered with her own; Caille felt the instant surge of something beneath her skin and stared at him scared and uncertain.

“What is that? What did you do?”

Solas moved to her and grasped her hands gently as he spoke trying to calm her fears.

“It is your magic answering mine, vhenan. There is magic in this time, you have just never been shown how to access it.”

Caille pulled her hands from his and gazed at her glowing skin unsure of what was happening to herself.

“You say it was me that brought you?” she asked softly staring at her hands uncertainly.

Solas could see and feel her fear at the unknown and took her hands back into his own.

“And I will be eternally grateful that you did, vhenan. But yes, it was you who brought me.”

Caille looked at her glowing skin to his eyes and felt instant remorse from taking him from everything he had ever known. _Why – how did I bring him here?_ She wondered. _Can I send him back?_ She wondered instantly feeling her heart squeeze at the idea of him not being with her.

Solas watched the emotions run across her face and knew the moment she wondered if she could send him back. His stomach dropped at the idea of her not being with him. Gripping her hands tightly he spoke quickly.

“Do not try to send me back vhenan – not without you.”

Pulling her hands from his grasp, she wrapped her arms around herself and turned to gaze into the unlit fireplace. _I cannot be sorry I brought him here – I love him. Oh, what a total goat fuck I created with my selfish need for someone,_ she thought sadly.

“I am sorry– I would never,” unable to finish her words as he grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him seeing his love for her reflecting from his eyes.

“I am not sorry vhenan, ane emma bellanaris la’var ar ame mar. My life would be an endless amount of planning and work with nothing at the end except the possibility that I could help my people rebuild what was lost in my actions. I was driven, single-minded and focused on that for so long and then I met you. Everything I believed I had to do, now feels hollow without you by my side. There is much I have not explained to you about my time, but knowing you love me as I am right now, has – made me realize how much I was missing in my life.”

Caille gazed up at him smiling slightly at his words.

“You have never spoken of your world Solas and I didn’t want to upset you with my questions.”

Solas gazed at her lovingly. _Another reason to love her for the wonderful woman she is,_ he thought as he slid a hand over her cheek.

“What would you want to know, vhenan?” he said softly gazing into her fathomless emerald gaze.

Swallowing past the lump of her uncertainty, she watched him carefully as she spoke.

“An undying spirit says God to me Solas, whether you agree or not. We are not discussing the powers you have; we are talking about your ability at not dying. But you talk of your people – your kind as something you are ashamed of, why?”

Solas let her hands go and threw a fireball into the fireplace lighting the kindling surprising her with the sudden action.

“Because my kind became drunk on their power,” he said with disgust.

Caille gazed at him curiously and she watched him stare into the flames.

“I am not a God Caille– not like my kind think of us as. Yes, it is harder for my kind to die, but we were just powerful mages. Harder to kill yes, but it is possible. Many of them thought that with their power they should be Gods.” Shaking his head with the memories of what his people had created with their greed. “They began by enslaving our own people, marking them with vallis’lin, what you call a tattoo. Calling themselves gods and creating endless wars over who was the strongest – it was sickening.”

Turning from her, he sighed angrily as he gazed at a small painting on her wall of a lone wolf. _Fitting,_ he thought, gazing at what he was sure was her Grandmother’s work.

“I moved against them and trapped them behind a veil I created. Cutting my kind off from the Fade; doing that – destroyed my people. Doing what I thought needed to be done has portrayed me in Elvhen and Dalish history as a trickster.” Gazing at her quickly he laughed without mirth and gazed back to the fire.

“That is what Fen’Harel means truly to them, Trickster Wolf.”

Caille listened to him hearing the pain at what he had done; the pain of how his people had changed with his choices and could feel her own sadness for his pain. Moving towards him, she wrapped her arms around his waist holding him tightly. Swallowing her insecurity, she spoke gently.

“Before I brought you here you said you were working on releasing slaves in Tevinter. What else did you have planned?”

Solas turned in her arms knowing what she was looking for and unwilling to give her the answers she sought knowing if he gave them she would do anything to get him home with or without her.

“Much was planned vhenan, why do you need this information?”

Caille gazed at him disbelievingly as she spoke simply.

“Because their lives matter my love; your work was important, and I need to get you back to it.”

_And now we come to the truth of it all,_ he thought as he laid his hand on her face gently.

“Ma vhenan, I cannot go back to that time without you. If you were to activate the mirror I still could not go through it without you. I could not survive and neither could you,” he said honestly.

Caille glanced at him and then turned back to the flames.

“What if I went with you then, Solas?”

Feeling his heart stop with his breath as he gazed at her knowing she knew not what that meant.

“I cannot ask that of you vhenan,” he said quickly.

Caille glanced at him and then back to the fire.

“You didn’t ask love, I offered.”

Taking her by the shoulders he turned her to face him gazing deeply into her eyes, he spoke plainly needing her to understand the true meaning of her words.

“Vhenan, you might never be able to come back to this realm. I cannot, and will not ask you to risk so much.”

Caille gazed at him understanding what he meant. _I won’t come back_ she thought looking around at her small home. _Everyone I loved is gone, is the idea of not returning really such a loss?_ She thought sadly. Reaching over she grasped his hand and squeezed as she gazed into his smoky grey gaze.

“Everyone I loved is gone, Solas – except you.” Shaking her head in making her decision, she smiled at him. “I am not afraid to leave here with you, are you afraid to bring me there?”

Solas glanced at her quickly, thinking her words ridiculous and then stopped. _Am I afraid to bring her to my time?_ _She is safer here amongst what she knows,_ he thought quickly and looked into the fire.

“May I think on this?” he asked gently feeling her slide against him wrapping her arms around him and sighed with his own contentment.

“Of course love; I do not want to do something you do not agree with or think is a bad idea.”

Solas laughed softly and hugged her close to himself enjoying the feel of her against him. _I have had nothing but bad ideas,_ he thought.

 

Lying with her draped over his body he gently played with her hair as she slept. _Will you allow her to go back with you old wolf knowing what awaits her?_   Sighing with apprehension, he played with the hair with his fingertips trying to calm himself.

_A human amongst the elvhen will cause more than just a small disturbance, with his kind,_ he thought sadly. Thinking of his friend the Inquisitor, Da’fen married to her very human Commander. _How is it so much easier for them than it would be for me,_ he thought annoyed. _Because she does not have ancients looking to her to lead them,_ he answered himself. _Everyone would be angry at him for taking a shem as a mate, they would most likely not be agreeable to such a union._ Sighing annoyed for the first time at the narrow-mindedness of his kind.

Sending his magic to hers seeking the calm it would give him; closing his eyes at the instant soothing feeling it brought him. Caille’s eyes slowly opened at the feeling of chaos churning within him that battered at her senses, waking her. Kissing his chest softly, she pushed her hair out of her face and gazed up at him.

“Will you tell me what has you so worked up love?”

He cupped her face and smiled with sadness to it.

“I did not mean to wake you, vhenan.”

“I know you didn’t, but I am awake now. Talk to me Solas, whatever it is we can figure it out.”

He pulled her further up his chest tucking her into his side as he spoke of his fears.

“There are those who would be angry if I were to bring back a human mate.”

_He never mentioned anyone from that time, but maybe he had a lover. Oh, bullocks!_

“Because I am human or because they were your lover?” she questioned curiously hoping it was the first and not the second.

Solas chuckled at how her mind worked kissing the top of her head.

“They would not like that you are human vhenan. But to set your mind at ease, I have not had a lover since before the fall of my homeland.”

Caille smiling internally with the news, chuckled as she looked at him with surprise.

“That long? Damn, I am amazed you remembered how it worked.”

She watched the desire flare in the depths of his eyes as he tilted her chin up and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Pulling away slightly to study her face, he smiled roguishly.

“I have a very good memory,” he said deeply.

Chuckling softly against his lips, “mmhmm, you definitely do,” she said wrapping her arms around his neck deepening the kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coirnéal - colonel  
> Maor-Ghinearál - major general  
> Ma vhenan - my heart  
> ane emma bellanaris la’var ar ame mar - you are mine for eternity, as I am yours


	16. It's a Party

Standing with his back towards the stairs, he gazed into a mirror and made sure his hair was plaited properly at the corners and wove the enchantment disguising his ears while he waited for her. Catching movement at the top of the stairs from the corner of the mirror stole his attention and then quickly his breath. Caille descended the stairs enjoying the sight of him in a dark black suit with a pinstriped grey and white shirt beneath and she could see that he had left the collar open deciding to forgo his tie. _I am going to have to control myself and not touch him constantly – and keep others from that as well,_ she thought, loving the instant desire that flared in her stomach.

By his frozen reaction, she was thankful she had decided to go with the sleeveless, small black, backless dress and heels. She had agonized over her outfit and how she should wear her hair for an hour; even laughing at herself thinking she had never done something as feminine as that before. But seeing the way his eyes filled with desire, followed her movements, she knew she had chosen well. She reached the bottom and turned slowly exposing the open back, smiling over her shoulder at him before turning completely around. The three-inch heels she wore put her at his shoulders, and also made it much easier for her to reach up and straighten his collar. 

_Breathe old wolf,_ he reminded himself while viewing Caille move down the steps. He did not think it possible that she could be any more beautiful than he thought she was already, until this moment. His hands itched to pull her hair from where she had piled it on her head and when she turned exposing her very bareback, he barely held a groan back. Her deep emerald eyes danced with merriment as if she could read his mind and he smiled roguishly while she fiddled with his collar.

“You are so beautiful vhenan,” he said in awe as he brushed a kiss on her cheek.

Blushing with his compliment, she gazed up at him smiling appreciatively as she laid her hand on his chest.

“Well, you don’t look bad yourself, handsome.”

“Are you sure we have to go to this thing?” he asked huskily running a finger down her spine enjoying the heady scent of her desire filling his nostrils.

Her skin tingled as need pooled low in her with his words.

“Yes, if we don’t, Roger will just bring everyone here. We don’t have the room or enough alcohol to accommodate them all.”

Chuckling softly, he placed a soft kiss on her lips, moving to the exposed skin of her shoulder thanking the creators for whoever had made such a garment. With desire deepening his voice, he breathed his intent along the bare skin, invoking a small shiver of apprehension.

“Then to occupy my thoughts this evening, I will think of the many ways I want to take this dress off of you when we return, vhenan.”

Caille let a small moan escape at the erotic vision that danced through her imagination with his words while he nibbled on her lower lip.

“Well – bullocks,” she said hearing his low laugh she slapped his chest playfully, pushing him away.

“Cheeky, you are tonight. Well, two can play that game love. While you are thinking about how you’re going to get this dress off me, you can also think about how there is nothing under it either.”

Moving seductively from beneath his suddenly frozen lips on her chin, she enjoyed the small growl released from him as she grabbed the small clutch purse that matched her dress. Picking up her keys and smiling wickedly at him, she saw that he was trying to wrap himself in his steely control. Grabbing the door handle, she laughed huskily with her own desire and winked at him.

“Shall we, love?”

_Fen’edhis! She is not wearing anything underneath – I might not survive this evening._ Moving to follow her, he gave her a wolfish smile. _I will make sure I am not the only one who will look forward to coming home then._

 

Roger had reserved McGill’s for her party, and it was packed with the military. Solas escorted Caille through the double wooden doors and studied the room quickly seeing that it was filled to capacity. She could feel his nervousness and winked at him. Placing his hand on the small of her back, he moved with her towards a small group.

“Roger, this is too much. I thought it was just going to be a few of us, not the entire bloody company.”

Silently assessing the man behind her, he laughed good-naturedly.

“Caille, you must have known it wasn’t going to be just some balloons and an ice cream cake.”

Laughing, she started introductions.

“Solas, this is Roger, my soon to be former boss.”

Taking the hand he offered, he smiled politely.

“It is good to meet you.”

Roger could hear the accent but he could not place it and gazed at him curiously.

“Wish I could say she has said wonderful things about you, but we didn’t even know about you until Collin said something. There is a bet going that you are ex-military. Care to shed some light on the rumor?”

Solas chuckled softly as he answered, ignoring the reference to the altercation with Collin.

“Have you also a vested interest in obtaining this information?”

Roger laughed robustly at getting caught.

“You have me there. Your accent is not one I have heard before Solas, where are you from?” he said glancing from him to Caille.

Solas smiled politely, thankful that they had prepared for this evening. Caille had chosen the area when she found that the Ancient Dwarven he spoke was like their Russian language.

“I was raised in a small village outside of Orsha, on the border of Belarus and Russia.”

_They grow em tall there,_  Roger thought glancing at him.

“You are a long ways from your homeland then. I should let you two mingle, we can talk more later. I am sure there are many here who are dying to know how you caught our Little Red Ridinghood.”

Moving away Solas glanced around and indeed the man had been correct. There were many curious glances directed at them, and he leaned down speaking softly to her conveying his surprise.

“You told no one about us?”

Caille glanced at him smiling adoringly.

“I’m not much for sharing,” she said teasingly.

Chuckling softly _neither am I,_ he thought as she led them to their table in a darkened corner of the restaurant. _This has possibilities,_  he thought absently rubbing his thumb along the small of her back sending sparks of desire traveling up her spine. With a sharp intake of breath, she glanced up at him, wetting her lips, enjoying the way his pupils dilated in reaction.

“You really aren’t going to behave, are you?” she said a bit breathlessly.

Bending to nibble on her earlobe, he growled seductively into her ear.

“You should have never told me you weren’t wearing any small clothes, vhenan.”

Shivering with his words tickling over her suddenly sensitive skin, she returned his desire-filled gaze with one of her own.

“Shall I gather you a glass of wine, vhenan?”

Unable to speak, she nodded her head _yes_ , following his movement towards the bar while trying to collect her composure. _Oye girlie you started this one, you gonna let him control the situation? You are not without your own power here;_ she chided herself trying to think of ways to even the playing field as he returned.

Solas had to hold his laughter back watching her bite her lip thinking furiously. Sitting down next to her, he felt the slow slide of desire pool in his groin while she gazed at him over the rim of her glass while taking a small sip of her wine; darting her tongue out to catch the small bead of red liquid on her lip.  _This night was going to be a long one;_ he realized shifting subtly in his seat and then he felt her small hand glide absently over his thigh. Holding her gaze steadily, his eyes flashed molten silver at how quickly she could pull his control from him. Stilling her wandering fingers, she smiled wickedly at him.

Placing his arm around the back of her chair, he absently stroked the bare skin of her arm with subtle magic sending sparks along her arm. Leaning over he breathed deeply of her scent and spoke so only she could hear him.

“Ma vhenan, I have many ways at my disposal to pleasure you without touching you. Would you like that I demonstrate?”

Panting slightly as his words invoked images behind her lightly closed eyes, she tried taking a calming breath. She could hear the warning in his seductive words, yet she could feel his anticipation at the possibility she might push him to it. Opening her eyes, she gazed at the smoky desire-filled gaze and kissed him gently.

“Mo grá, it is not fair for you to have such an arsenal at your disposal. But remember, I am not without my own means.”

Falling into the emerald green seduction of her gaze, he caught the way she bit her lower lip and slid her hand up with a pretext of straitening his collar and touched his earlobe gently. Desire flowed like lightning through his veins at the small caress. Catching the knowing smile on her face he set the spell in motion. Putting her in a constant state of arousal would prove interesting. He watched the moment she knew he had done it as her gaze flew to him in surprise and then she laughed seductively sending his need for her to a new height.

“Oh you are naughty,” she breathed slightly heavier.

 

Raelynn stood next to her watching the tall man Caille had brought with her. Catching the glint of silver on her hand and his she realized her friend had either married the bloke like Collin had said or was getting damn close to it.

“Collin mentioned you married him, but I didn’t believe him.”

Caille was having a difficult time focusing on any conversation with the need to walk up to him and jump him like some crazed animal. Glancing at Raelynn curiously knowing she had just said something.

“What was that?”

“Did you get married to that sexy man you brought with you?”

Smiling she held up her hand showing her the delicate woven band on her finger.

Raelynn gazed at the ring then back to her longtime battle buddy and friend.

“You sure did that quietly, why no ceremony, you pregnant?”

Caille pulled her attention from enjoying his strong build from across the crowded room back to Raelynn.

“We did not want one, and no Rae – I am not pregnant.” _Maybe someday,_ she thought happily.

 

Solas observed many of her team express their sadness at her leaving. He spoke with one gentleman who introduced himself as Brian.

“The only shooter I ever worked with that was worth a damn. Saved my life more than once, and a bloody well fine leader,” he said.

Raising his eyebrow in curiosity hoping the man would continue and was not disappointed.

“Iraq was a shit storm, and Red over there thought pretty quickly on her feet. We almost got taken out by some fucking suicide bomber that was trying to come up behind us. The kid didn’t get maybe ten feet and she put her down. About tore her up to shoot the girl, but it was either her or us.”

Solas listened digesting the story, understanding finally why when she spoke of this place she looked haunted. Glancing at her adoringly she caught his gaze from across the room and smiled at him. He suddenly had a new appreciation for his mate and appreciated she would no longer be placing herself in such danger. _Unless you bring her back to Thedas,_ his conscience reminded him. Pushing the thought back to review later, he focused on the man speaking with him.

“How did you two meet anyway?” the man questioned curiously.

Pulling his attention back to his question he cleared his throat.

“We just bumped into each other,” he said absently rubbing his nose in memory.

Brian laughed, slapping his shoulder.

“It happens like that sometimes. I can tell you, friend, there isn’t a man in here that doesn’t think you’re either one crazy son of a bitch or one lucky one. She never gave anyone the time of day after Collin and well…” chuckling he took a drink of his beer smiling at him. “We all saw what happened with Collin,” he said shaking his head chuckling.

Solas glanced at him curiously as he spoke simply.

“Ah, yes – Collin. He fought honorably; I do not see him this evening. Is he not part of your team?”

Brian laughed loudly looking at him in disbelief.

“Yes, he is. However, I don’t think he was looking to get his nose broke a second time.”

Solas glanced at him nodding his understanding. As more men from her team joined the conversation, he wanted to escape their questions. He saw that she slowly walked towards them and his eyes devoured every movement her lithe legs made wearing what she called heels. _If the creators were kind we might get the hell out of here so I can peel that damnable dress from her,_ he thought as she came to stand in front of the small group smiling sweetly up to him disguising effectively her desire. The small flush along her cheeks and the deep warmth of her eyes were her only betrayal of her current state.

“Mo grá, would you mind if we went home?”

Sending a silent _ma serannas_  to the creators for listening to his prayer, he moved to place his hand at the small of her back reveling in the feeling of her flesh against his hand and barely restrain his own growl of need with the heady scent of her desire filling his nostrils.

“No, of course not, vhenan,” he said thankfully. Glancing at the men around them, he nodded his head towards them, “Gentlemen, it was a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” he said formally as he moved to escort her from the building.

 

The air in the cab of her jeep was full of desire and anticipation. The silence was a lull of calm before the storm that was set in motion hours before. They pulled into the small drive and she waited patiently for him to come around to open her door. Placing his hand on her back, he led her to the house taking her keys to open the door. Turning to close it he turned back to her as she slipped the shoes from her feet. Padding softly towards the stairs, she turned to gaze at him as she pulled out the pin holding her hair up and let it fall in fiery waves down her back.

“Did you decide on a way to remove my dress?” she questioned seductively.

Solas fade stepped to her side taking her by surprise, as he wrapped his arms around her small waist and placing a small, nibbling kiss to her neck.

“Yes, I believe I found one that would be acceptable. Shall I show you now?” he growled the request huskily against the skin of her bare shoulder as he kissed it.

Running her fingertip along his jaw she spoke somewhat breathlessly at the intense need she had for him.

“Well it is what I have been waiting for all night,” she said her voice thick with need.

With a small squeal of pleasure, he swept her up into his arms taking the steps to their bedroom two at a time.  Setting her down on her feet he turned her slightly moving her hair out of his way to release the two buttons holding the dress. Placing kisses to the nape of her neck he enjoyed the small moan of pleasure that escaped her. Running his hands over her shoulders and down her arms, he felt the thrum of magic and desire beneath the silky skin. Letting his fingers span her narrow waist pushing the dress over her hips to pool at her feet before letting them slowly trail up the sides of her ribs. As his hands gently rolled her nipples beneath his fingers her head fell back against him panting as a low moan was torn from her throat. Biting gently the exposed tendon on her shoulder he let one hand slide slowly over the silken skin of her stomach edging towards her exposed sex. Growling his desire at finding her drenched with her need for him. Sliding his finger into her, he felt his own desire become almost unbearable when she cried out his name with the touch.

The thrill of knowing he could bring her to such an unbridled state aroused him to greater lengths. Sliding his finger over the small hidden jewel pulling another cry of need from her, he pulsed magic into the sensitive bundle and Caille screamed his name with her release. He moved to carry her to their bed when she surprised him with a feral growl of her own and pushed him roughly into the closed door.

Staring into his eyes intently, she took the finger that had just pleasured her and slipped it within her mouth enjoying the taste of herself. Swirling her tongue over the digit making sure she removed every drop of herself, she nipped the pad gently before placing a small kiss on it and letting it go. Sliding the jacket over his shoulders she threw it over to the chair in the corner. Releasing each button slowly she enjoyed his mesmerized gaze while he watched her. She pulled the tails of the shirt from his pants, and taking each wrist she released the buttons so she could slide the shirt over his shoulders tossing it towards the jacket. Running her hands over his bare skin, she hummed her pleasure at the steely strength beneath the surface. She watched in awe as his skin gave an iridescent glow beneath her fingertips where she touched. Placing an opened mouth kiss to one of his nipples, wrenched a groan from him, and she smiled against his skin.

Sliding her hands to the buttons of his pants she felt the tightening of his stomach muscles at the gentle touch. Sliding his pants over his narrow waist she bit at each bone pulling another heavy moan from him sliding his undergarments down, freeing him to her gaze. Focusing on her goal, she grasped him with both hands, moving slowly along the shaft. Gazing up his long length she could see his focus on her as she slowly slid him into her mouth humming her own pleasure at the taste of him. He could not control the flash of desire racing through his blood like wildfire. He spoke feverishly while his head fell back against the door.

“Ma lath, ar isalan na,” he panted desperately as her mouth worked him winding him tighter within her desire.

Unsure of what he said but she enjoyed the intensity of how it was said when it made desire clench deeply within her. His skin vibrated under her fingertips knowing he was close to completion himself. His body bowed from the door as he came growling her name loudly. She licked the crown taking the last small drop making him shiver. Moving to stand she felt his hands grab her waist lifting her roughly. Wrapping her legs around his waist he pinned her to the door with one deft move. _Finally,_ her body sighed at his fullness buried deep within her. Solas grabbed her hands and held them over her head and using the leverage of the door, he slid into her with a steady thrust provoking a panting moan from her lips.

“Ar lath ma vhenan,” he moaned against her lips as he abandoned her wrists for her hips increasing the speed of his thrusts into her.

She felt his love filling her with each thrust; “Solas” she cried out as she fell into the chaotic maelstrom of desire he cocooned her within. He felt the steady milking action as she shattered in his arms. Her magic spiked as she came sending lightning licking across his skin pulling him over the edge with her as he moaned her name against her lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ma Vhenan - my heart  
> Fen'edhis - wolf dick  
> Mo grá - my love (Gaelic)  
> ma serannas - my thanks  
> Ma lath, ar isalan na - my love, I need you  
> Ar lath ma vhenan - I love you my heart


	17. Time to Make a Decision

Caille walked through the doors of her building carrying one box while Roger carried the other. Securing them within the back of her Jeep, she closed the door and gazed over at her mentor and friend. Pulling her badge for the building from her pocket, she held it out to him. Roger took it and smiled sadly as he palmed it.

“Don’t be a stranger; you know how to get in touch with me if you need to.”

Caille nodded her head briskly trying not to let him see she was on the verge of crying. Roger was not doing much better with his own emotions and sniffed quickly trying to hide it. Turning away from her he walked back into the building. Slipping into her Jeep, she wiped at the escaped tears and laughed at herself. _New beginnings,_ she thought as she started the engine. Pulling from the parking lot, she headed towards the townhouse determined to get an answer from him one way or another.

 

_Enough waiting for him to bring it up – he is avoiding the subject,_ she said slightly annoyed with herself for letting it drag on for as long as she had. Carrying a bottle of wine and two glasses from the kitchen, she walked to the living room where he sat reading a book written by Shakespeare. Marking his place with a piece of paper, he took the bottle from her opening it easily and taking the glass she offered him sitting back watching her carefully. Something had been on her mind since she had left her job three weeks ago, and he had a feeling she was going to talk about it finally. Waiting patiently, he relaxed into the chair following her movement towards the couch.

Caille sat down and tucked her legs beneath her gazing at him as she took a small sip of her wine. Placing the glass on the table between them she folded her hands in her lap as she spoke.

“Have you given any thought to our conversation?”

Her eyes watched him as he set his own glass down and held her gaze.

“I have thought of little else vhenan. Is this what has been on your mind for the past few weeks?”

“Aye, it has. Have you come to a decision?”

“Why do you want to do this? You would be leaving everything you know and understand.”

Swallowing her nervousness seeing that he was uncomfortable with the idea, which meant he was leaning more towards saying _no._

“Because it is important to you, and you are important to me. Is that not a good enough reason for my wanting to help you get back?”

Rubbing his eyes basking in her words, he looked at her frustrated.

“I appreciate that you love me that much vhenan, but I cannot allow you to put yourself in danger for me.”

Caille’s eyes narrowed at his words. Unfolding her legs from beneath her, she leaned forward towards him her anger tangible in the air as she spoke calmly.

“ _Allow me?_ ”

“As my bond mate, it is my duty to keep you safe, vhenan. I cannot let you choose this. I have chosen you, and in doing that, I chose to not seek a way to return.”

Standing to look out the window trying to control the urge to yell at him for his macho-testosterone-filled sentence he just so beautifully tossed at her with his sexy accent.

“I was unaware that by bonding with you, that made me your property to choose what I could or could not do.”

He heard the thickening of her accent as he felt the icy anger of her words and felt his own anger rise to the occasion to meet hers; he needed her to see reason.

“You are my mate – not my property vhenan. You do not understand the dangers of my time as I do.”

“Well, of course, I don’t – you won’t talk about any of it. You keep the information to yourself afraid that if I heard it I would see through the utter bullshit of it all!”

Turning to meet his cold grey stare with emerald ice chips she spoke candidly needing him to truly hear her.

“I am not some delicate flower you can keep behind a window, I am not that simple. I have been shot at, tortured, and I have killed people, Solas. I am not unskilled damn it, so stop treating me like I couldn’t take care of myself in your world. I’ve been to third world countries before where there is no running water or electricity, and everyone in the area wants to kill you. I know how to hunt, fish, and cook over a fucking fire. So what skills am I lacking to go to your homeland with you besides a pair of fucking pointed ears?”

_This conversation is going nowhere,_ he realized quickly she would not listen to him.

“Venavis!” he growled in irritation as he threw his hands up and left the room for the kitchen.

“Níl muid ag déanamh leis an chomhrá, Solas” she growled back at his retreating back. Turning towards the front door, she slid tennis shoes on quickly as she angrily threw her coat on needing to get out of the house and take a walk.

He heard the door slam and barely stopped from chasing after her. _NO! She needs time to cool off, as do you wolf._ Running his hand through his hair in frustration, he paced the small garden area as he took a deep breath willing himself to find calm.

Slamming an ice bolt into the ground in anger “telamdys ra” he muttered sitting on the bench replaying the argument. Pinching the bridge of his nose he began understanding her anger and her logic. He hadn’t discussed it with her, he had decided for her.

 

Caille stood outside her door for a moment taking a deep breath. She needed to apologize to him for being an utter tit. Adults can work through issues calmly without needing to get so worked up. Pulling her hands from her pockets, she opened the door and shut it gently behind her. Slipping her coat onto the wrack, she slid her shoes off her feet and walked the small hall finding him waiting for her in the living room.

Standing, he watched her moved towards him and felt his heart finally relax as she wrapped her arms around him tightly.

“I am sorry for getting so angry with you – I never gave you a chance to explain anything,” she muttered into his chest.

Wrapping his arms tightly around her, he kissed the top of her head.

“I am sorry for making a decision for you that we should have made together.”

Chuckling softly she looked up at him.

“You’re sorry, I’m sorry – we are a sorry couple.”

Solas laughed and placed a small kiss on her lips.

“Shall we try to have this conversation again?”

“I think we should,” she said gently. Biting her lip with her curiosity, Solas kissed her forehead speaking against the skin. “What is it vhenan?”

“Will you tell me what _Venavis_ means?”

“No,” he said with a laugh pulling her onto his lap as he sat down.

“Why not, is it a bad word?”

She watched his ears tinge with their embarrassment and poked her finger into his chest knowingly.

“It is – what does it mean?”

“Nothing and it is not relevant to the conversation we need to discuss,” he said in his most studious tone.

Laying her head on his shoulder she laughed.

“Okay fine, have it your way. I’ll find out sooner or later,” she muttered making him sigh loudly changing the subject quickly.

“I would like to explain my objections to you wanting to go to my realm.”

Feeling her nod her head conveying her interest, he took a steadying breath.

“First you being my bond mate will make you a target for any of my enemies, and I have many vhenan. Secondly, my kind generally does not bond outside of their own race. They will not look kindly on our bonding and will make it very difficult for you. The third and final reason is that there your magic will manifest.”

Caille laid against his chest listening to his very simple reasoning and mulled over his words silently playing with a lock of his hair. _People outside and within would most likely try to kill her, and this latent magic I have would suddenly manifest. These are legitimate reasons for his desire to keep me here,_ she realized; but she couldn’t let him abandon what he had started. She knew him to be a good man; this would not sit well with him as time moves on. _He might grow to resent me, and I don’t think I could survive that._ Letting out a heavy sigh she kissed his jaw lovingly.

“You have made very valid points, and I can understand your need to keep me from such trials.” She felt him take an easy breath before she felt him stiffen slightly beneath her fingers. “However, I still respectfully disagree with you.” Taking a calming breath she continued to explain.

“First, I would have to be a fool to believe you didn’t have enemies. Especially the all-powerful ones you locked away. So having someone who strategizes differently than others would be a large tactical advantage for you and your cause. Secondly, I will not believe that your entire kind can all be so racist towards humans. You aren’t,” she pointed out quite effectively making him chuckle. “For your third reason, I will not lie and play it off as not a big deal. The idea of all the sudden being able to form fire in my bare hands scares the crap out of me. But, it can be controlled, I have only to learn how.”

Sitting up she cupped his face gazing deep into his smoky depths.

“I don’t ever want you to regret not finishing what you started Solas, and you will. You are not a man to ignore his responsibilities or his promises. I could not live with myself knowing you would eventually resent us – me.”

He closed his eyes knowing she was indeed right. He would eventually grow angry with himself for not keeping to his word and in turn angry with her.

“Alright vhenan, I will try and figure out how you opened the Eluvian,” he said quietly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vhenan - my heart  
> Venavis - Fuck it  
> Níl muid ag déanamh leis an chomhrá, Solas - We aren't done with this conversation, Solas. (Gaelic)  
> Telamdys ra - damn it


	18. Going Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter of book one. I hope you enjoyed it and will continue on with the journey of Caille and Solas in Fen'Harel Enansal - Going Home   
> With their return to Solas' home, Caille must now work on proving to his people that she was worthy to be called their Queen. With everything that she had been through in her life, she felt prepared for whatever they could throw at her or is she?

The drive to Castlecaulfield was a quiet one. Solas watched the scenery, contemplating what they were planning on doing. _She will give everything up – for him._ The thought was still a chilling one as he contemplated what would happen if they were to succeed. He had an idea that he hadn’t spoken to her about yet, and he was nervous in doing it. He would need to use his magic to activate hers. Glancing at her solemn profile, his heart swelled at the sight. Her hair was in a messy knot on top of her head and small tendrils had escaped, dancing like silent flames around her face. Caille glanced over at him and smiled then turned her focus back to the road.

She could feel his apprehension; she felt it as her own was also skimming around her nerves. Her mind rolled with everything she would need to get done before they could leave – if they could. Gripping the steering wheel a bit tighter with determination she focused on the goal. _I will get him back to his own time – I must._

Pulling into the long driveway leading to her Nanna’s house, she looked upon the land she had grown up on and let a silent sigh escape as she parked in the garage.

“It is not too late to change your mind, vhenan.”

She glanced at him sharply and shook her head.

“No Solas, we must at least try.”

 

Caille had the music cranked in the house as she cooked. Music soothes the soul, or so they say and she was taking it to heart as she listened to AC/DC while cutting vegetables.

Solas stood on the small bluff overlooking the valley. He couldn’t stop the small smile from forming at the sound of the loud music coming from the house. Shaking his head slightly, he focused inward as a lightning storm blew in and pulled his magic out letting lightning release from his outstretched hands. He removed his staff from his back and thought it felt odd to be holding it again after so long having not done so. Moving it slowly at first, he built the rhythm to match the feeling of the storm overhead. Soon he felt the storm within and merged the energies with his own as he shot arcane magic into the storm. He felt a sense of calm come over him at releasing magic into the storm.

Caille watched him as she leaned against the doorframe. She had never seen him do this before and was mesmerized by the sight. The wind blew his hair back as his arm swirled the staff around him wielding power. She watched him manipulate the elements around him and use them as the weapon they could be. She could imagine the way his muscles moved beneath his jacket and she felt her breathing become marginally labored. The way his body moved, sent curls of desire flowing through her body as he embraced the electrical energy surrounding him. Her mouth fell open as she watched missiles shoot from his body outward into the storm. Her heart sped up as he turned towards her and found her watching him. She felt his gaze as a physical touch as it raked over her hungrily and gave him a slightly wicked smile that all but screamed _come and get me._ She swore she could hear his growl from where he stood.

Taking a small step back through the doorway as he slipped his staff onto his back she could almost hear him chuckling at her soft retreat. She felt like she had run a marathon watching him slowly walk towards her. Moments like these were when he did resemble a predator stalking his prey she realized, as he came to stand in front of her closing the door with a small wave of his hand.

“I believe you tempted me for a reason, vhenan.”

She had never felt so wet with need before; the sight of his windblown hair, his staff still on his back and the smell of ozone on his skin were all aphrodisiacs to her. Smiling up at him and grabbing the front of his shirt bringing his lips closer to hers.

“I most certainly did, I will give you three guesses to figure it out,” she said softly against his lips nipping at the bottom one none too gently.

Strong arms picked her up and he felt her agile legs wrap around his waist and gave her a wolfish smile.

“I might only need one guess,” he whispered against the column of her neck trailing kisses to her collarbone.

“Oh come on…you’re not even going to try?” she said with a breathy moan as he nibbled on the tender skin of her neck.

“Will we be removing clothing?” he asked gently as he sucked at her earlobe.

“Maybe…” she said with a throaty laugh.

“Hmm…” he hummed against her throat sending shivers of desire rushing through her veins to pool lower in her sex.

“You have two more,” she reminded him as he nipped at her earlobe sending a sharp rush of need through her.

“Do I at least get a hint?” he mumbled as he kissed her jaw.

“Make love to me against the kitchen wall?” she said panting hearing his chuckle.

“That is quite the hint,” he commented as she instantly felt the wall against her back.

“I thought that might help,” she whispered against his lips as she kissed him deeply.

Groaning he slid his hand under her shirt and gently rolled her nipple between his fingers eliciting a hiss of desire from between her red, swollen lips. Running her hands down the front of his shirt, she pulled and buttons flew from the garment making him growl at her urgent need for him. Her lips locked onto his shoulder and the desire he already thought was consuming him took over. He removed his hand from her breast and slid his hand beneath the band of her pants, deftly sliding a finger along her wet folds to caress the hidden jewel of nerves, groaning at how ready she was for him.

Caille let out a guttural moan of need at his ministrations and opening her eyes she gazed deeply into the swirling molten silver of his. The deep emerald of her gaze was his complete undoing. Using magic he removed her pants and with deft fingers undid his own. Releasing himself he slid into her awaiting wetness in one thrust. Moaning in pleasure she gripped his shoulders as he thrust into her relentlessly against the kitchen wall, hitting the hidden area of nerves, and her body was in chaotic motion as she felt herself reach that cliff of desire and jump off into oblivion with a loud cry, gripping him tightly.

He felt the rush of her completion roll through him and pull him along in its current. He groaned her name as he came.

 

He knew what he had to do, he just hadn’t told her yet. Staring at the mirror while she slept, he let out a small sigh knowing that once he told her she would want him to try. He knew she was right, at the same time he loathed the idea of tearing her from everything she knew. Closing his eyes, he knew that those that were in his castle at Setheneran would not appreciate having her there.

He knew that Abelas would appreciate her sharp mind for battle, but he would also criticize her lack of magical training. As most would advise him that she was a liability, not an asset. _Why do I care how they will react…I am being ridiculous. She is my bond mate – their thoughts do not matter._ He let out a heavy sigh and glanced down when he felt her fingers move over his chest.

“Solas, are you going to tell me what has you so worked up?” she asked with a sleep-filled voice.

Running his fingers through her hair he smiled before kissing the top of her head.

“Shh…go back to sleep vhenan.”

Moving now she glanced up at him and gently ran her hand over his jaw.

“I know you are worried about me going with you, but we can do this together. I need you and you need me and I know you need to go back. So stop running it around in your head and just accept that we are going to try and if it works then great if not…well than shit.”

He chuckled and grabbed her hand kissing the center of her palm.

“Have I told you that I love you?” he said before kissing the center of her hand again hearing her small laugh.

“Not in at least a few hours, and quite frankly husband it is long overdue,” she said teasingly.

“I apologize for not doing my due diligence and upholding my end of the bargain vhenan. I love you,” he said kissing her hand again.

“Well then I will forgive – just this once though…doesn’t mean you can make a habit out of taking advantage of my good nature,” she said cheekily.

Rolling her beneath him he kissed her deeply enjoying the way her body would soften against his and her arms would wrap around his neck pulling him closer to her. Breathless when he broke away he gazed into her eyes and smiled.

“I will bear that in mind,” he promised, enjoying the small smile that formed on her lips.

“You do that,” she whispered pulling his lips back to hers.

 

 

While sitting across from her at the table he watched her eat and took a drink of his coffee.

“I think I know how to make the mirror work,” he said calmly watching her face and seeing the look of acceptance and expectation.

Placing her fork down, she took a drink of her coffee gazing at him over her cup.

“I had a feeling you might have an idea…for some time now,” she said taking another sip of her coffee watching him and enjoying the small lopsided grin he gave her.

_I don’t think I could have been any more blessed to have found one so patient and loving as her,_ he thought, watching her face smile at him waiting for him to tell her what he thought.

“Yes, well – I needed to make sure,” he said absently rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

Setting her cup down, she placed her hands on her lap as she watched him.

“And are you – sure that is,” she said grinning at him.

“Relatively as sure as one can be in such situations,” he said calmly.

“So will you tell me this possible, you think could work, idea of yours or am I to guess?” she asked smiling brilliantly at him sending his heart to double beat in his chest.

“It will require me to bring forth your magic,” he said

Caille gazed at him a moment then grabbed her plate and brought it to the sink.

“Oh…how will you do that?” She questioned calmly as she washed her plate.

“If I am correct then all that is required is you lay your hand on the mirror and I will lay mine over yours and coax your magic to answer mine. If I am correct then it should activate the mirror.”

She turned and leaned against the counter watching him carefully seeing his nervousness.

“When should we try this idea?”

He looked at her and shook his head knowing that it would need to be soon.

“Tonight vhenan,” he said with a soft sigh of acceptance.

Caille moved to him and sat on his lap.

“Good, I have my rucksack already packed,” she said kissing his cheek while he wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Is that what is sitting next to my armor,” he said with a knowing grin.

“Yes sir – just waiting for your orders to move out,” she said in her best military voice.

He started laughing and hugged her to him.

 

 

Caille stood in front of the mirror with her pack strapped to her as Solas stood behind her with his armor on and his staff strapped to his back watching her carefully as she placed her hand on the mirrors cool surface. Solas laid his hand over hers and sent his magic into her calling hers to the surface. She felt the surged of something running through her veins and her hand began to glow beneath his. The mirror shimmered and soon, she felt herself pulled through the rabbit hole. Stretched and pulled like taffy she was unsure if she could take any more and suddenly she was spat out from where ever onto a hard rock floor with Solas.

She lay for a moment before getting to her knees and gazed around quickly at her surroundings. Solas lay still breathing heavy and she reached over and touched his hand.

“I hope this is it,” she whispered to him and watched him nod his head yes.

The wooden door swung open, slamming into the wall almost splintering at the force. Caille pulled her knife from her thigh quickly and rolled to crouch in front of Solas who still lay on the floor breathing heavily while she prepared for the man to charge her.

The man in the door holding a large sword snarled at her.

“Gara’veth shemlen,” the large hooded man with amber colored eyes said menacingly.

Twirling her dagger with an invitation, she smirked at him.

“Take one more step daisy and I will gut you,” she snarled back.

Solas listened for a moment realizing it was Abelas and started to chuckle behind her as he lay on the floor. _Daisy…Abelas?_

“Aneth ara Abelas,” he said still laughing on the floor.

Caille glanced towards him not letting the big guy out of her sight. Solas began sitting up and placed a calming hand on her shoulder.

“Vhenan, this is my closest friend and General, Abelas. My friend, this is my falon’saota, Caille,” he said still chuckling about her calling him a flower.

Abelas gazed at him in surprise as he sheathed his sword and moved his gaze to the small red headed little human who still stayed between them as she watched him warily.

“Falon’saota?” he questioned him as he took a step into the room.

“Yes,” he said showing him his ring and watched his General’s eyes widen with shock.

“She is – human,” he said with surprise staring at the binding jewelry on his hand and the mate to it on her.

Caille rolled her eyes as she studied the large elf.

“Well isn’t he observant,” she muttered annoyed.

Abelas narrowed his gaze on her while she smiled at him sarcastically. Solas took a breath for patience as he stood and moved his mate behind him. Abelas did not miss the subtle maneuver he had made and raised his gaze to his cool grey eyes.

“She is human, and she is my mate falon,” he said calmly.

Abelas nodded his head in understanding not liking the change in the situation but with little, he could do about it now. Caille glanced around the spacious room and noticed that there were three other doors in the room and two windows.

“We shall leave you to settle in and perhaps discuss what has transpired since you – disappeared.”

Solas nodded his agreement with him and watched him leave pulling the door closed behind him. Turning back to where she stood looking around in earnest now, he couldn’t keep the small smile from forming as she ran her fingers over his things.

“Where do we sleep,” she asked him suddenly as she turned from a bookshelf.

“Follow me vhenan, we should get you unpacked,” he said grabbing her ruck sack from her shoulders and carrying it through the door to their sleeping chambers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vhenan - my heart  
> Setheneran - Land of waking dreams  
> Gara'veth shemlem - Get back quickling  
> Aneth ara - greetings  
> falon'saota - bond mate  
> falon - friend


End file.
